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Barnyard Buddies:  Broody Hen  |
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rschaaf
True Blue Farmgirl
174 Posts
Renee
Wooster
Ohio
USA
174 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 08 2010 : 7:20:50 PM
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One of my Buff Orpington hens has gone broody. She's been broody for several days now. I've never had a hen go broody on me before. How long does it last? Should I see if I can get some fertile eggs somewhere? I've never done anything like this before or have I experienced this either.
"There is beauty, there is grace, in my peaceful country place!"
See what I'm up to at: http://www.lifeonctfarm.blogspot.com |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2010 : 8:07:08 PM
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Hi Renee- If you want to put some fertile eggs under your broody hen it will take 21 days for them to hatch. I have had some first time broodies that decide after 1 week they don't want to be broody any more and pull out of it. On the other hand I have had some that will hang on for 2 months and I think they are going to die sitting there! If I were you I would let her just ride this time out and then band her if you can to identify her later on. If she continues to go broody and you want a few chicks then give her a few eggs. Do be prepared with a brooder just in case she doesn't want to be a mama. I had a black cochin go broody 3 times this spring/summer so I thought she would make a great mama-WRONG! She is a great sitter and kept those eggs nice and warm, but the moment they hatched she would kill them! I was able to save 2 and now I am having to raise them which really wasn't the plan, but oh well. Have fun with your chicken they are great fun.
Lillian |
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hour3suns
True Blue Farmgirl
76 Posts
Sharon
Frankfort
OH
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2010 : 04:53:19 AM
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Reenee, many times a broody hen won't stop on her own and you'll have to help her along out of her broodiness. A friend of mine's hen sat on a corn cob of all things and brooded it all winter. If they aren't going to sit on eggs and your taking them off and they continue to get back on it you'll have to ban her from the place where she's brooding. What you'll have to do is cool down her bottom side. She's lost feathers there so she has skin contact with the eggs to hatch them out. A wire cage does the trick. Put here there for a few days with plenty of food and water, of course, so she cools off. Then put her back outside and hopefully she won't want to sit on her nest any more. If she does, repeat the process. Problem with letting a broody continue to brood on nothing is they get up to eat and poop once a day and after a while it really takes a toll on their body, losing weight, not laying...
Smiling & Waving,
Sharon |
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Barnyard Buddies: Broody Hen |
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Broody Hen
