Why would a broody hen make herself ill?

[technodoll]

I don't get it - doesn't mother nature take care of these things??

My broody silkie hen has been sitting on eggs for 8 days now and hasn't gone off them once to eat, drink or poop...

EIGHT DAYS!!

This morning I noticed she had bubbles in her crusty eyes, her nose is leaky and she is completely dehydrated

I peeled her off the eggs, set her in front of the water dish where she drank for a long time, she then pooped half her weight (worst smell in the world) and insisted on going back on the eggs. She is skin and bones, her comb has shrunk to nothing, she's dry as paper...

I tried putting a small dish of food in the nesting box with her but the other silkies (3 of them) sometimes go "visit" her, step on her and spill the food everywhere. I can't put a water dish in the nest or the same thing will happen.

Soooo today I will set up a separate box/brooding pen in the garage just for her, add a light and insulation, give her visual access to food and water and if she then won't move the 2 inches she needs to eat and drink I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

Please help!

 

[TicketyBoo]

Sounds like she is one you need to take care of. Block off that nest box or try moving her to her own cage where she can have some peace and quiet and her own feed/water.

 

[ScratchesWithChickens]

Aww, I hope your girl will be ok! Such a dedicated momma! I moved my broody into a box in the house with room enough for her nest and a food and water dish. I've never caught her getting up and moving those few inches but I can see where she's pecked at the food so I suppose she's drinking too. She's stuck fast on that nest though. If she didn't have the food and water right there I don't think she'd get up to eat and drink either! Good luck!

 

[aveca]

Those girls are pretty stealthy at when they get off that nest , they wont get off when you are around , they are in guard mode.Mom nature is a wonderful thing...But when things are calm they will get up long enough to do thier biznes and get right back on, we also put ours in a special box with food and water nearby.

We have had hens just like yours that you would swaer they are killing themselves. But its what they do best and none were the worse for wear when they came out to show off the little peeps.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is she a first time broody? There instincts are remarkable to behold but sometimes they have more problems that more experienced hens. Blocking her and her food and water off from the others is a pretty good idea, but I'd also remove her from the nest once a day, every day at the same time, and set her in front of her food and especially water. If you can tell she is getting up on her own now you don't have to do this. Hopefully she will learn she can get up and take care of business, but I'd watch her very carefully. I usually don't like to interfere but this time I think you need to.

 

[Koolduck]

Ive been manually taking my broody off the nest twice a day. In the evenings I lock everyone out side and let her have free run of the coop while I do nightly horse chores. By the time Im done with that, she is back where she needs to be and I let the crew back in. Seems to be working. You are soooo right about the mega poo and the stench! Best of luck!

 

[technodoll]

OK I took your advice and moved her to her own private "condo", spent 1.5 hours this morning setting everything up for her.

She is now alone in a warm brooding box with heat lamp, food and boosted water (poly-vi-sol) a few inches from her face, plenty of room to move around in and poop if she needs to. If any babies hatch that is where they were supposed to go anyways so it's all good!

She is still dehydrated, pale flaky skin and dry eyes but no bubbles so I guess the water she finally had this morning helped

I will still take her off the eggs once a day, in the mornings, so she can stretch her legs and evacuate poop - this is her 2nd time being broody, the first time she was on two sets of eggs for a total of 5 weeks with no chicks born (dead in the shell a few days before hatching). She also went for weeks without food and water then, she was in the house and taken out twice a day, it was a difficult time for everyone.

THIS time she got eggs two days after going broody, is in her own space in the garage and I'm not touching anything. If chicks are born then good, if not I will go buy some to keep her happy.

 

[Chic Chick]

I'm in favour of giving her a private brooding pen because I don't care to have others bother the broody hen while she's on the eggs. You might want to move the food and water as far from the nest as possible so that she has to get off the eggs to get to them. Otherwise she might not ever get off the nest and she might just poop on the eggs.

 

[debilorrah]

You need to check her vent area too - she IS pooping just not getting up to do it! I had a broody pull the number on me and man was it a mess once I figured out what was going on. I had to put food and water RIGHT under her nose.

 

[technodoll]

This morning when I peeled her off the eggs and put her near the water, she squatted and pooped a GIANT one! She had been holding it for over a week... there was nothing in the nesting box, thankfully.

She will get the same routine every morning now, I can't trust that she knows better