[Carshay]

I have a chicken sitting on 6 cream legbar eggs (thanks Tomshooter!) and I have to get her off to eat or she won't move. I've been reading previous posts and am a bit worried as she doesn't seem to have had a poo since Saturday.Granted she is not eating a lot but would have thought she should be doing something? Also how do you candle an egg can you do it with a torch or do I need to buy a candler?

[JaK]

Not sure about the poop issue (first time broody hen here).
To candle you can use a torch with half a toilet roll tube taped on the end (alter the width of tube if you need to). It will be fine as long as the egg fits the tube snug and no light escapes. No need to buy a candler unless you will be using it a lot.

[orchardlady]

Your broody hen should have a poo every day. Choose the warmest part of the day and get her off her eggs. If it is a cool day drape an old flannel over the eggs. Shut her coop up so she cannot return straight away. Leave her outside with food and water for up to 20 minutes. Even if she fusses and protests, wanting to get back to her eggs leave her out, this will in fact encourage her to poo if she is bouncing about trying to get back to her eggs. She will have a poo...BIG and very smelly.. As soon as she has done this let her back to her eggs, not forgetting to remove the old flannel if you used one.

Orchardladu.

[Carshay]

Thanks orchardlady that worked a treat! She even gave a chuckle of delight as she performed but you were right about the smell! Should I do that every day right up until the eggs hatch? Thought this would be easy - get the eggs and just wait but what stress it is - do I rely on her to turn them properly? I dont think its worth me candling them unless I can find someone to show me what I'm looking for. I did look at the videos but I know confidence will desert me if I actually try it.

[joyfull]

broodies are very good at looking after the eggs and turning them so don't worry about that. Yes broody poop is very very smelly and sooo big  .
I never candle the eggs that I put under broodies.
Remove your broody at least once a day (she may get the idea and take herself off the eggs) but when you get to the day before hatching (on average day 19 for bantams and day 21 for large fowl) then leave her to get on with the hatching.

[Carshay]

She's a hybrid - cross between A barred plymouth rock and a Rhode cockerel. Someone said its unusual for hybrids to go broody - does this mean she may give up, although she seems devoted to the eggs?

[joyfull]

no even exbatts can sometimes go broody - I have both hybrids and pure breeds that are broody at the moment yet others show no signs whatsoever luckily.

[orchardlady]

Well, Joyfull has answered our questions. Yes get her off the eggs once a day, wait for that impressive poo and dispose off  it so she doesn't stomp in it and track it back all over the eggs.

I've never bothered to candle the eggs under a broodie, it's part of the excitement to find how she got on. The broodie will do all the work, turning etc.

I've had one or two hybrids go broodie over the years but it is quite unusual. Make sure she is mite and lice free as this can make a broodie give up as she really is quite literally a sitting target.

Keep us updated on how you/she gets on.

Orchardlady.