sitting chicken

[farmer Boo]

Help!

we have 5 pet chickens that are allowed to free range during the day. they are all great layers. No Rooster! this week one of the hens has taken to sitting on all the eggs. usually they lay their egg, make a huge noisy commotion and leave. we finally moved the sitting chicken and her clutch of eggs into the garage in a separate pen. will she eventually give up on the eggs? should we take them away from her and chase her out? what would happen if we got a chick from the farm store and gave it to her? thanks for any help/advise Boo

 

[seedcorn]

She may after several weeks give up or they may one by one break and STINK.....

Do all a favor, throw the eggs away, break her up.

 

[chrissieg]

Depends what you want - if she's a breed that will 'sit' and you want to increase your flock, put some fertile eggs under her. If not I would take them away!!!!

 

[tffstpp]

Ditto. Fertile eggs would be the best bet because she might not adopt a chick.

 

[devora]

I don't get this issue, so please help me out. (My babies are just babies and an egg is a far off thing!) If you're not raising the eggs to hatch (no rooster) then why can't the eggs just be taken away? If a hen is on an egg will she not get off if ya ask her to?

I mean, do they get aggressive, is that the problem?

 

[justusnak]

devora...if a hen is wanting to hatch eggs, and she is sitting on them...yes...she might get a little testy. No, she WILL get a LOT testy.

I have a 12 x 12 piece of wood, I use to seperate my hand from the hen, I want the eggs from if she is not willing to "let" me have them.

 

[Whirlwind]

I just put 3 chicks from the feed store under my hen last night. She had been sitting for at least 28 days 24 of those on fertile eggs. Only one tried to hatch did not make it. All others appeared non fertile when we candled them last night. This morning all is well so far with 3 chicks from feed store. But you never know if a hen will accept them or not. If you try, do it at night so she will be used to them and them to her by morning. Also the younger the chicks the better. I think mine were a week old. Be sure to keep them warm untill you put them under her. But be prepared to brood them yourself if she rejects them. Or try to find some fertile eggs. As Justusinak said she will be testy and sqwak and try to peck and fluff her feathers out if you try to mess with her. I wear gloves. Good luck let us know what you decide to do.
Cindy