[Pretty Chick]

I've a broody hen who had an egg to hatch, it pipped externally, but got no further  .
I feel sorry for my broody and am going to buy her some hatching eggs on Sunday.

My question is: if a hen is broody for a long time, will she gradually grow ill?
If so, how many weeks can she healthily sit?

My broody seems fine at the moment, but I was wondering if she is broody for around a further 3 weeks, that she would become ill.

Many thanks in advance  

[Casey76]

Some hens will brood until they die from starvation!

If she has already been sitting three weeks, I wouldn't let her go another three.

My big girl Rosie has lost so much weight since she started sitting.  I bought her some chicks as the eggs she was sitting turned out to be duds, and even though she took them outside today, so spent a lot of the time sitting down because she has lost strength in her leg muscles.

[blodwen]

Hi, my pekin broody has just sat thru two broods as the first lot did not hatch so i bought some more eggs for her and put  them underneath her, she hatched them yesterday and today. I have to say she is a natural glutton though and is first in the queue for food come hell or high water, and although she has lost some weight she is by no means skeletal!! I was worried about her losing too much weight but she hasnt and is a fab mummy too! (She may be a little puzzled though as she has just hatched Buff Orpingtons!!!) Much better than her sister Pekin who tried to murder every one of her own chicks as they hatched 

[Pretty Chick]

Thank you both.

I've 2 broody pekin bantams (who are sisters  ).
One called Albertine, who has been broody for over 3 weeks and the other called Rosie who has just become broody.
They are both eating well and pop out of their houses by themselves to have a drink, but I still lift them out 3 times a day.

I have only hatched 1 other chick before (Joe, my avatar) and Albertine was a great mum to him.

I shall have to think about how healthy Albertine is, how much weight she has lost and if I should put her through another 3 weeks of sitting.

Thanks again