9/10/2023 0 Comments Hen hatching![]() ![]() Some breeds make better mothers than other. They may totally abandon the nest and leave it after a few weeks. They may leave the nest for too long or let the eggs get too cool. Not all hens have the natural instinct to hatch a clutch of eggs. During the last week of incubation a hen will stay on the nest full time and stop turning the eggs. She instinctively knows what is the correct temp and humidity to be at. If it is too hot outside, she may get off her nest more often to let the eggs cool down a bit. The hen’s body will keep the eggs the right temperature and at the right moisture level. The will be constantly fussing with them. The hen does all the work of turning and adjusting the eggs. A broody will instinctively know which eggs are no good and will kick them out of the nest. It takes 21 days for eggs to fully develop.Ī broody my pluck their breast feathers and stomach area to make a bare patch or broody patch which is used to warm the eggs better. You may want to mark and date them so that you can know when to expect the hatch to happen. If she has too many eggs, she won’t be able cover them all. Rival hens may attack each others eggs and chicks. The hen should be isolated from the rest of the flock. It should be all on one level without any ramps to go up and down. To help a hen have the best chance at raising successfully her brood, she needs a secure broody coop. She will appear to be all fluffed up and flattened out over her eggs. She will only get off once a day to eat, drink and poo. She will sit all day on her nest in a trance state and will hiss, growl and peck at you if you try and remove her. She will be very territorial about this spot and not let others near her. She will begin laying eggs in her special nesting box. She puts her heart and soul into her chicks, educating them and protecting them from any and all predators.Ī broody hen does not start out as a mother hen, but she has a fierce desire to become one. Her priority shifts from her personal survival to protecting and ensuring the survival of her young. ![]() A mother hen demonstrates behavioral habits that are different from a normal hen. The “mother hen instinct” is a feeling that someone has, that they must “take care of somebody.” Anybody.
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