My Broody Won't Eat, Help!

[mylilchix]

I have a broody in a dog crate on 2 eggs. The eggs should hatch around the 16th. She has food and water, but I don't think she's eating or drinking. If I try to coax her off her nest to get her to eat, but she either pecks me or yells at me. How can I get her to eat and drink?

Thanks,
Sonja

 

[birdlover]

Just keep the food and water near her and she'll do the rest. You probably just aren't seeing her when she eats/drinks. Does she make huge, smelly poops? That will tell you if she is getting off the nest at all and, if she's doing that, I can guarantee you she is eating and drinking. Mother Nature has a way of making it all work out.

 

[mylilchix]

I have her food pushed up next to her nest box. I think she's pooping because I can smell it, but I don't think she's getting off the nest box to do it.

Sonja

 

[spook]

Right, also if I'm correct, the birds go into a trans like state of hormones- like said, leave the food and water, she can go 21 days with a 101 degree nest, and her only desire is to be a momma! Good luck and count the days, enjoy nature at her finest!

 

[Delta2 23]

Well broodies are meant to get off the nest once a day to poop, eat and drink, or the eggs get smelly and dirty.
You could try shaking some of her favourite treats in front of her to get her to come off her nest.

Good luck!

 

[mylilchix]

She definitely is in a trance like state! She hasn't moved in days and is all cuddled up on her nest. I've tried giving her treats and she wo't take those either. She's bound and determined to be a momma.

Can't wait for our babies!!! Thanks for your help. This is our first broody experience.

Sonja

 

[egggarden]

My BO was broody last Spring. One of the books I have said to shoo her off the nest once a day, even if you have to pick her up (make sure eggs aren't stuck in her feathers) then hang out with her and make sure she goes back to the nest in 10 or 15 minutes. She'd squak all right, but then take care of her business, start puffing up her feathers and make clucky sounds and head back to the nest. She hatched out 10 of 11 eggs. She is amazing. And.....I think she is getting broody again! Good luck!

 

[Ellie]

I have had a hen go broody several times. Put the food a little further so she can get up and stretch her legs when she eats. She WILL get up at least once a day to eat and poop as has been said.

If you put her food a little further, it will give her the excuse to get up and exercise her legs. That said, I have also had to pick up my broody and let her out once a day at first and put her back within a half hour or so.

She will be ok,

 

[Kajunbanty]

When my hen was broody I would make her come off the nest when I would give the other chickens a snack of scratch. She would pick eat a bit drink some water do her business and then head back to the nest. The day the eggs hatched I went to do the same and found I had babies, she had a 100% hatch rate.

 

[chickenannie]

Just let your broody hen do her thing! Don't try to make her get off the nest. She knows what she's doing. She will be fine. She'll eat enough (usually when you're not around) to be exactly where she needs to be. I would stop disturbing her.