[ahussey]

Hi,
I am fairly new to this and I have 6 hens and one cockerel.
One of my hens went broody around 2 weeks ago and now 5 others have joined her!
When I approach them in their nest box the hiss at me and ruffle their feathers at me so I haven't tried to take their eggs away from them although when one of them ventured out for food a couple of days ago I had a little look and she is sitting on 10 eggs.
With only one hen and one cockerel roaming the garden they look quite lonely and I don't know what to do with the rest of them. I don't mind if any eggs hatch but how long do I leave them to be broody and what do I do if any eggs hatch?

[carolbriar]

I haven't got a clue but I am sure someone will come along and help out.  To have so many go broody is bad luck   Well, to me it is, depends if you really want chicks

[French Chick]

I have the same problem. I have 3 hens and a cockerel. When I realised the first hen went broody I left her with one egg that I marked. The other hens lay on the broody hen to give her another egg, that's why you have ended up with 10 eggs. The broodiness seems to be catching as all three of mine are broody. I don't want loads of chicks, I don't mind a couple more. You can lift her off the eggs she will just lay there till you put her back. They peck sometimes but not hard (well mine don't).

[sarah f]

one  of my silkies has gone broody, ive taken the egg away from her,  with the hand brush lol  pushed her off and nabbed it.
 she still went and sat in nest box, :(so i  gave her a tomatoe and she sat  on it

[ahussey]

Can anyone tell me how long a chicken stays broody?

[TeaPots]

Can anyone tell me how long a chicken stays broody?

unfortunately it is difficult to say, as it differs not only between breeds, but to individual girls too. It is broody time of year now. I have 4 broody girls ATM. I scatter some corn outside the coop, then lift them out and put them next to the corn. I remove the eggs as soon as I can after theyve been laid. My white silkie usually gives up after I have done this several times a day for about a week. My cuckoo silkie I had to lift her out and eventually close up the coop during the day, as she was was still sitting after 4 weeks.

 I had a lady buy some day old chicks from me as her hen had been sitting for 2 MONTHS, and she wanted her to believe she had managed to hatch these chicks and stop brooding, as she was worried about her health.

[janette]

If you want chicks it is a good idea to make a nest in a smaller box with a door so that the others can't get in and give her a few fertile eggs they will take 21 days to hatch then you will need a small run to keep them safe  if you don't want to hatch you have had good advice keep taking them out you might need a pair of leather gloves to do that ,good luck I have my first chick today I hope there will be more than 1

[francais]

Not sure about the not pecking hard bit LOL - I swear mine has teeth!!! she blinking hurts!

hubby called me a wuss - so I asked him to try....he came back in rubbing his hand and muttering (in french I think  ) about what a bad bird she was!!!

[Sassy]

It's always the same in life - all or nothing! I am waiting for one of my girls to go broody!