Sitting Hen

cooped up · **Joined:** Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:06 am **Posts:** 18

I have a hen thats been broody for about 5 weeks now - she has been sitting on eggs for the past week. Although her comb was limp in the first few weeks Im now concered that its pale in colour. She is also covered in mites which I have treated her for. My question is should I disturb the nest and hose it out and put fresh bedding in? Its been raining in Brisbane for so long and Im worried about keeping her off the nest for too long - I dont know how long it will take to dry out. Im making sure that she eats and drinks every morning but with the rain and the mites I dont think she's eating enough.

I also found that she's kicked 2 eggs out of the nest - they were cold this morning - should I be worried?

Help pls!

RPoultry · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:40 pm **Posts:** 933

So by the sounds of it you have kept the hen broody for 4 weeks then set eggs under her a week ago (can i ask why?)

Now if she is absolutley riddled with mites i would personally discontinue the incubation.

But if the eggs are really important then i would dust her (presuming that it is a powder you are using) and the nest, every 2nd day to ensure that the mites do not take control again.

My question is should I disturb the nest and hose it out and put fresh bedding in?

Seems we have a bit of a dilema here, because if you clean out the nest (i would use bleach) and put in fresh bedding, put the eggs back in a nice depression (hollow)so that they cant roll out (make sure there are no mites on the eggs) and then put the hen back.

Now 1 of 2 things could happen:

Senario 1: She settles back down on the eggs and (with regular lice/mite treatments)
after another two weeks, hatches out as many fluffy little chicks as possible.

Senario 2: She gives in to the stress of it all (constant discomfert from the mites, being broody so long with nothing happening, and the disturbance to her nest you have just caused) and abandons the eggs, letting them slowly die from the cold and wet.

Aint chook keeping fun?

cooped up · **Joined:** Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:06 am **Posts:** 18

The hen went broody weeks ago and I tried to stop her from siiting by locking her out of the coop to no avail as its the only place they have to go in the evening - I only have the 2 hens so a small backyard setup! I bought fertile eggs as a last resort to try and let her have her moment and be done with it.

I took the gamble and cleaned out the chook house. The hen is sitting back on the eggs so far so good. I didnt go to the lengths I should have though - I just changed the bedding and sprayed evrything including her. Now Im covered in them!

The dirt is finallly starting to try out after the rain so hopefully can can give herself a dust bath to help. What type of dust shoule I use - will this or any of the sprays hurt the eggs?

RPoultry · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:40 pm **Posts:** 933

i use the "INCA" brand insecticidal dust for goats, horses, dogs, cats and poultry. And this is safe for using in the nest and on the eggs.

What sougt of spray are you using? As im not sure if you could use spray this on the eggs without it soaking in and killing the developing chicks

Next time you have a broody that u dont want try putting her in a wire cage,im talkin wire walls, wire roof and wire floor with no bedding and no protected areas off the ground so that a breeze can flow through, then put this cage inside the other pen for a week without letting her out, this sould cure the broodyness, becausde she can't get warm or comfortable she should give up and stop being broody

ps. i know how you feel with the mites they are horrible :!:

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