[dyedinthewool]

Hi,

First time I've had a broody - kept promising her she could have a go - she was sitting on eggs in the nest box, so I moved her to her own cage - medium size plastic dog cage the sort you would take a pet to the vet in.  I've given her shavings on the bottom and then a nice nest of straw plus a container of water fixed to the wire door.  she settled straight back on her eggs, tucking them in - think i counted 12-15, some I know will not be fertilised as they are from my Cream legbar and I know the cockeral can't catch her to 'tread' her....

What I'm concerned about is she has not eaten or drunk for 12 days - is this the norm?  I can see the reasoning behind her not doing either as she then won't soil the nest. Just need confirmation that she will last the next 10 until 'maybe' chicks hatch and not die of starvation...
. 
What should I feed her 'if they hatch' and how long should I leave her 'if they don't'?

[chrismahon]

Hi Dyedinthewool. She must have drunk something in 12 days surely. She would normally go outside in the run attached to the broody coop to poo, well away from the nest. She would then eat and drink and then return. The eggs will be fine if she is off them for a while, even in the delecate first 7 days. Is she an Orpington? Large fowl need to be lifted off the nest at least once every day to stretch their legs otherwise they seize up permanently.

[jaykay]

I didn't think my geese were getting off their nest at all, til one day I saw one - she ran to the beck, quick drink, poo, scoff some food, another fast drink and then sprinted back to the nest, no wonder I'd never seen her do it before 

So - I imagine your broody has at least drunk something and hopefully eaten?

[dyedinthewool]

Hi Dyedinthewool. She must have drunk something in 12 days surely. She would normally go outside in the run attached to the broody coop to poo, well away from the nest. She would then eat and drink and then return. The eggs will be fine if she is off them for a while, even in the delecate first 7 days. Is she an Orpington? Large fowl need to be lifted off the nest at least once every day to stretch their legs otherwise they seize up permanently.

Yes she is a LF Orpington though not huge...
while she was in the hen house nest box I didn't see her get out - though wasn't watching all the time

If I did disturb her she really told me to *** off and I didn't want her to abandon her eggs.

Like I said at the moment she is on her own in the feed room in the 'dog' cage - during the day the cage door is open shut at night.  She has a sack partly over the door (the nest boxes have strips of sacking).
Again haven't seen her come out to eat and the water container is still full.

Does it matter if she sqawkes and swears at me if I lift her off the nest.

I'll try to tempt her with some mealworms/sardines/chopped egg to eat something tomorrow.

[jaykay]

No, it doesn't matter if she swears at you when you lift her off, good sign really.

I wonder if they're less likely to eat and drink if someone's around and that's why we don't see them - would make sense, we might be wanting to pinch their eggs.

Certainly my geese eat and drink far less than normal - but they do some. Haven't let a broody sit this year after last year's got bored of the job a few days short 

[chrismahon]

Hi Dyedinthewool. Do you have an incubator you can bring up to temperature overnight just in case she has got a leg problem?

[in the hills]

We had a peekin last year that didnt come off the nest at all. I took her off the eggs and popped her near food and water once a day (at the same time each day). This means that they can eat and drink and also empty themselves so that their eggs stay clean. I fed mixed corn during this time ..... read somewhere that it was digested more slowly than layers pellets.

I think that if they are sitting so tight that they dont come off willingly, then they are unlikely to be disturbed too much if you take them off. Do check that her eggs dont get stuck to her as you lift her off. Wear gloves if she pecks very hard.

Hope she is okay.

[Mel Rice]

They do go into a sort of trance when sitting...when lifted off mine would shout still in the sitting position, then sort of realise that they were off the eggs, come to, stand up, shake, Then go for a little walk and a poo. She would stay out for about five mins then back to the eggs, I used to move mine at the same time every day. The same time as I let all the others out.

[dyedinthewool]

Hi,

Lifted henny off eggs and although she shouted a bit she did tuck into a mix of dried meal worms (though I soak them for 15mins they don't 'ping' everywhere then) and her usual corn mix.  Had a poo and a drink - I left her to have a wander - she was back on the eggs when i went back after ten minutes.

Poo was a bit thin and 'lumpy'green...

Did it again today not quite so cross with me and again tucked into her food.

 She didn't get off other than me doing it.  (put the food 'just so' so I would know if she had eaten any - it hadn't been disturbed)

Sould I be lifting her off morethan once a day.

CHRIS; I do have an incubator if needed - a Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance with Humidity pump. But at the moment she seems okay on her legs.

[suziequeue]

Hen is best incubator DITW. She sounds like it's all going swimmingly :-))

[in the hills]

DITW - Once a day is usually enough I think.

Does she feel as though she has lost much weight?   I have a peekin sitting at the moment, who feels a little light so I am taking her off a bit more often (the recommended is once a day).

Glad your girl is eating now. Some seem to go into a real trance and dont think of anything except sitting 

[HelenVF]

I have a couple of broodies sitting at the moment, and very rarely see them coming off.  I used to chuck them off for food and water, but tbh, I haven't this year and left them alone.  I'm sure they do come off as I do see them ocasionally.

Helen

[Sylvia]

I had a bantam who would steal a nest Heaven knows where, I never found out. Watch as I would she would suddenly appear at feeding time from nowhere. I would stand back and watch her for ages to see where she went but she would, with one eye on me, wander around, pecking at things, looking at things until I was forced to blink, then she'd be gone She always turned up though with a brood of chicks in tow

[chrismahon]

Very pleased to hear she is OK on her legs Dyedinthewool. I was a bit concerned having been advised of the serious leg problems that can occur. Just the once off the eggs is enough. She is obviously going to be very weak after this, so if you have time to get her to eat and drink twice it would be better. She will be eating chick crumb as well and that will build her up fast. You probably won't be able to take her on one side for a meal of growers or mealworms. Ours get seriously protective after the hatch and won't let me anywhere near them.

[Fowlman]

A good broody will get off the nest once a day of her own accord to eat and drink. If not she needs to be lifted off. At the moment i got a little ko shamo sitting on duck eggs  comes out every morning with the rest of the flock for 15 mins and goes back.