Worried About My Little Hen

[mommto3kiddos]

Im new to this chicken madness and this is my first broody.. I gave her a clutch of fertile eggs a week ago and moved her to her "nursery".. She has food, water, and is all comfy, but I swear she barely eats.. In the past 5 days she has yet to go through half a scoop of food, and water, I can't tell she is drinking it.. Today when I went and checked on her I noticed her head wasn't perked up like usual so I got down to her and reached in fearing she was dead and I got bit and a nasty "leave me the **** alone" growl..

Im just worried she is starving herself.. Calm me down and tell me she will be fine..lol

 

[eenie114]

Is there a chance she was sleeping while on her nest?
Trust me, I understand the first broody jitters!

I've had more than I can remember and I still hover around the coop chewing my nails for the whole three weeks. You would think it was me having chicks.

 

[mommto3kiddos]

You know she probally was..lol I SURE got the message though to back up and leave her the heck alone.. Shes just so tiny (to me, our only banty) so I have always worried about her.. She seems happier though in her own space now away from the other 6 brats (I mean hens).. they pick on her

 

[franh]

Hello

I think you might want to take her off the nest once a day so she can eat, drink and poop. Some hens have this super broodiness and will literally starve themselves to death on the nest. I've got a hen like yours and she hardly ever leaves the nest unless forced. Dont worry you shouldn't upset the sitting.

Once a day pick her off nest and stay close to ensure that she eats and drinks a bit and especially poops, otherwise she'll do the stinky stuff in the nest and possibly comtaminate the eggs.

Good luck

 

[Tiss]

You can also try giving her treats like cheese or oatmeal to convince her to eat. At least SOMETHING.

 

[TammyC]

I took mine of the nest 2 times a day at first, then she started coming out on her own the last 4 days or so.. Now I have 2 of the eggs piping and 2 more close to it and she just stays on the nest.. I have her confined from the other hens and ducks.. and have food and water near her.. Oh and she is hatching my pekin eggs.. Good luck.

forgot to say that I take her treats every morning, she loves baby spinach...

 

[suzeqf]

My little hen is the same way I put her feed in front of her in her nest she does get off at least once a day to do her business but as far as i know she spends 24 hours a day on her nest give or take a few minutes

 

[mommto3kiddos]

I can tell at some point she has gotten up as a little straw is pushed out of the front of the nestbox. Her food is right outside the nest box and water is just beyond that.. I did try bribing her with scrammbled eggs, but that was a big negative..lol I think I will take her off today and see what she does..

When I moved her to her nursery pen and took her off her nest she just squatted and sat down in the grass, like she couldn't walk.. But I didn't know what to do so I just placed her back on her nest..lol I swear this little hen has me wrapped!!!!

 

[heatherkh]

I never moved my broody. They generally get off the nest at least once a day to eat, drink and poop, even if you don't see it. Once the hatch started, tho, she stayed right put. My philosophy was, the less I meddled, the better. It was hard at times because I wanted to see under her, but I figured it was better for her (and the eggs) if I left well enough alone.

 

[franh]

Hiya

Dont worry if you take her off the nest, she'll squat for a little bit and then hopefully go and eat and return to the nest on her own.

21 days is a long time and if she is not eating or drinking when she is brooding then there is a risk of her losing a lot of weight and condition. I also put treats in the food like corn or cooked rice in there to tempt her to eat more.