How to Care for a Broody Hen

A broody hen is one of the most dedicated animals on the farm. Broody hens have extremely strong maternal instincts and will sit on their nests for weeks at a time, often refusing to move even to fulfill basic needs such as eating and drinking. Brooding hens require extra care to keep them safe and ensure that the clutch of eggs they're sitting on hatch into healthy chicks.

Things You'll Need

  • Nesting box
  • Straw
  • Chick starter
  • Small feed bowl
  • Water pan
  • Flashlight
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Instructions

    • 1

      Move other chickens to a separate coop. Broody hens are very territorial and may attack other chickens that get too close to their space, so eliminating fighting before it starts is safer for both your hen and the rest of your flock. If you're trying to raise a clutch of chicks, leave the rooster in with your hen.

    • 2

      Arrange a nesting box for your broody hen. Place the box in a relatively quiet, traffic-free area of the chicken coop, away from doors or feed dishes. Bed the bottom of the box with fresh straw to insulate and protect the eggs once the hen moves into the box.

    • 3

      Fill a small bowl with chick starter and set it in front of the nesting box. Chick starter is high in vitamins and proteins that broody hens need to produce healthy, strong eggs. Set a watering pan on the opposite side of the box to allow the hen to stay hydrated without spreading food into her water dish. Keeping nutrients close allows your broody hen to eat and drink without straying far from her vulnerable nest.

    • 4

      Keep a close watch over your hen for signs of illness or egg binding. An egg bound hen will pace and roll repeatedly as she tries to pass the egg. Egg binding can be deadly, so if she doesn't lay an egg within a few hours, contact your veterinarian.

    • 5

      Remove unfertilized eggs from the nest box each morning. Hold the egg between your fingers and shine a bright flashlight on the egg. The developing fetus inside a fertilized egg will appear as a definitive dark spot inside the shell, while unfertilized eggs are a uniform yellow throughout with no dark spots. Unfertilized eggs will spoil quickly in the heat, so gently lift the hen off the box and dispose of the eggs.