# Is my hen broody?



## HeyHeyEvie (Oct 15, 2012)

She's been squawking like a mad fool when I approach her box, and I think she's been sitting on all the eggs in there for a couple days now. She won't let me reach in to pet her like she usually does. Any advice?

























And the egg in there are from my leghorns, none of them are even hers!


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Awww, you have a mama wanna be. I went through this in August with my Australorp. She was so determined. Didn't care whose eggs those were, those were her eggs. Period. She too would get extremely mad if I went near her and that nest box. Normally she's my love bug. I took her out anyway and closed her out of there. Made her go out and play with the other girls. She'd holler at me for it too. I don't have a roo so gosh I had no idea how long she'd have sit there. Went on for about a week. I just kept taking her out and blocking the nest boxes on her. Especially at night or she'd be right back in there. She was just as miserable as I was. Good luck.


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

Sound broody to me ... 

What did you want the advice on? Do you want her to hatch them out or how to break the brood?


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## HeyHeyEvie (Oct 15, 2012)

I'd like for her to hatch them as they are the only fertile eggs I will have. (Got some hens from a farm with Roos 3 days ago, those are the eggs she's sitting on) I don't have any roosters myself, they aren't allowed in city limits. I was just wondering if she will be able to hatch them with the weather starting to cool down and if she does hatch them, then what? Do I take them out? Let them be? Thanks!


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

It is best for a hatch to be in warm weather but it has/can be done. Where do you live at? (If I may ask  general area)


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## HeyHeyEvie (Oct 15, 2012)

Well I went out this morning and she isn't sitting on the nest anymore, she wouldn't go anywhere near it actually. I live in Wichita Falls TX, it's starting to get between 50-60 degrees at night now. The eggs were pretty chilled when I did my pull this morning, so I brought them in and put them In the incubator. Is there still a chance that they could hatch? Or should I call it quits and put them in the refrigerator.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Never say die!!!!


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## HeyHeyEvie (Oct 15, 2012)

I want to hatch them so badly! I'm hanging on to hope!


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Many famous people have hung on to less. Always something to be learned from any experience.


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## Roslyn (Jun 21, 2012)

It doesn't hurt to try, the worst that can happen is that you make some nasty stink bombs.

I had a hen hatch her first brood on Thanksgiving Day. It was cold too, but she raised her two little ones the whole way thru the winter.


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## Italy-Dan (Oct 5, 2012)

Broody hens are intractable!  But they raise their chicks very well


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## HeyHeyEvie (Oct 15, 2012)

I have the eggs inside now in a home made incubator. She stopped laying on them all together.  hopefully I will see some little chicks soon.


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## blondie (Jul 19, 2012)

I have a Silkie broody right now that for the first two weeks would leave the nest for an hour or so twice a day. The eggs felt chilled to me, each time I checked them. When I candled on day 7 and 10 they were growing just fine. Today is day 20 and I hear little peeps coming from her eggs. She has been a sweetheart ever since she went broody. Lets me stroke her back and she seems to really enjoy it. I have to hand feed her now as she won't get off her nest until the hatch is over. Keep the faith, those eggs may do just fine.


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