Normal broody behavior?

[Denim Deb]

Lately, I've been putting down some scratch grains for my chickens B4 I put their food away. Right now, if I don't put it away, the rats eat the rest of it, and I don't really want to feed the rats. And I've noticed that Penny gets off of her nest for this.

I know that broodies will get up to eat, drink and take a poop. But I watched penny for a bit yesterday, and it seemed like she as off for quite some time. She was off when I fed the horses. I don't know how long she was off then. Then, she came off when I put out the scratch grains. And, she didn't go right back on. Instead, once she was done w/them, she went out w/the horses, scratch around a bit. Then came over to my tack shed, went in, looked around bit, went inside, tried to eat some horse feed I had spilled, came outside, looked around there, then finally went back to the nest. It was hot yesterday-in the mid 90's, so I don't know if that's playing a part in this as well.

But is this normal? She had to have been off the nest for at least 15, 20 minutes. Should I set up my incubator for just in case, or what? She still has about 2 weeks to go, and I don't want to lose this batch if at all possible.

 

[Dawn419]

Hey DD,

You might have a broody...they're just like humans in being different, though. I've "fought" 2 broodies in temps of 104 F + in the shade this year.

I say "fought" as in I wasn't set up for them to hatch out (as usual) and they just decided to keep setting, even though I kept all eggs pulled. They're finally out of their "fog" but I need to get the broody pen set up regardless...just in case.We've had this flock for 4 years and they are still intent on training me...not that I'm happy about it!

 

[Marianne]

I remember reading that 20 minutes at a time is pretty common for them to get up from the nest. I'd say it's the heat and she will instinctively know when to get back on the eggs. If you're really concerned about it, what about taking some of the eggs and putting them in the incubator? JMO

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I've got 2 broodies at the moment, and they're in a 4-hole nesting box. The turds keep switching holes though, so I can't give them eggs.

 

[~gd]

I've got 2 broodies at the moment, and they're in a 4-hole nesting box. The turds keep switching holes though, so I can't give them eggs.

Block the 2 holes that you don't want them to use and put the eggs in the other 2!

When the air temp is hot near the body temp of the birds they can stay off the nest for extended periods of time. People that raise waterfowl even allow a cooling period for eggs being hatched in an incubator while they manually turn the eggs,

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I've seen a hen go nuts and leave the nest for about 2 hours, come back and set and have 100% success rate....she got spooked. Just leave her alone. I think 20 mins is fine. She will do better than the incubator, if you don't have other hens fighting over custody later when the hatch occurs. Sometimes I trick the hens and take the eggs away for lockdown to avoid the custody battle and sometimes I use the broody for 2 different clutches of eggs, but my mom gets mad...she says thats mean.

 

[Denim Deb]

I feel much better. This is killing me! After not getting a single chick from the ones I put in the incubator earlier in the year, I really want to get at least a few from this clutch. I need more hens for egg laying, and more roosters for dinner.

I do feel like smacking KN though. I'd like to get some hens from each of my 3 girls. Penny has a slight scissor beak, but it's nothing major. From what I understand, that's caused by a recessive gene, and as long as Ralph doesn't carry the gene, I shouldn't have to worry about it being carried over into the next generation. KN keeps getting on me about this, saying I shouldn't use her eggs for hatching. I've already told her that if I were to get any w/a severe scissor beak, they'd be culled. But I WISH she would just mind her own business.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

My broodies get off the nest longer on hotter days as opposed to cold days. I agree that she knows instinctively how long she can get up and when to be back. She must also have a strong sense of self-preservation to actually get up. Some don't and come close to dying because of it.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I'm sorry, but ya'll can all get in line behind me because my broodies just won the worst mother of the year award. I am late getting my eggs in today, but thank God I put my foot down and went get them rather than wait til morning. I was heading to the nesting boxes and I could hear a peeping, coming from in there, not the brooders. A chick was all alone in a nesting box full of cold marked eggs and the hen that should have been covering her was in the next box on eggs that #'d fewer and were unmarked and needed to come in the house. So I put her on her screaming baby and cold eggs and took the others and picked up all my other broodies and removed what all didn't belong. Hopefully I have lots of other chicks with the one tomorrow morning, but I won't be shocked one way or the other. I am going to at least give them a chance. My grandmother died a few days ago and we just buried her so my record keeping was completely out the window.....surprise.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I've got 2 broodies at the moment, and they're in a 4-hole nesting box. The turds keep switching holes though, so I can't give them eggs.

Block the 2 holes that you don't want them to use and put the eggs in the other 2!

Well I would, but the other hens need the nesting box. I have a separate 2 hole nesting box nobody likes, so I need to fashion a small pen that fits the 2 hole box and food and water, but I'm not in a rush to do that anytime soon.