Hen keeps brooding after 7 weeks

Irish Stones

In the backyard of the place where I work a solitary hen found a good spot to live. She arrived from who knows where and she's been staying since.
Recently the hen laid some eggs and started brooding them. Of course, with no roosters around, those eggs won't hatch, but she doesn't know that and she keeps sittiing on them since, at least, the first week of July, when I first saw her on her eggs.
The place where I work is very large and I don't always go down there to check her, so a few days ago I went there again and saw that she hadn't moved. Two days ago I brought her some hen food, today half of it was missing.
When will she know that it's time to leave those eggs alone? What can I do for her?
I could remove the eggs, but I suppose that she will lay more eggs as soon she sees that they are missing.
Any idea?

aonb

sometimes hens will just go broody and sit on her eggs even when there isnt a cockeral around.
Some hens are just inclined to be broody - total nuisance really, and its hard to break the habit.
You have two options - advertise on adverts.ie (farm section) - its free, or on one of the poultry websites (eg irishpoultry.com or irishfowl.com) - or even on the boards.ie smallholding forum - often hen keepers are happy to have a broody hen to sit on eggs.

Do you have hens yourself? Could you take her home? (in a cardboard box) I would definately rehome her - hens are not solitary creatures, need a flock (even of 2!) so getting her rehomed would get her off the eggs. She is probably inclined to sit on the eggs because she is alone.

Where is she located - if not too far, I could come get her and add her to my lot if you have no other options.
Oh and would keep leaving food for her (hopefully its not being eaten by rats) - she wont stray far from her eggs if v.broody, and will really need that food (does she have access to water) - kudos to you you for helping her

Alun

aonb wrote: »

Where is she located - if not too far, I could come get her and add her to my lot if you have no other options.

The OP is in Italy

aonb

Alun wrote: »

The OP is in Italy

oh! well, guess I wont be popping by to collect this stray hen then huh

so OP, Im sure there are italian websites for poultry sales/keepers. Good luck with rehoming her!

Irish Stones

aonb wrote: »

often hen keepers are happy to have a broody hen to sit on eggs.

Yes, somebody told me that some hens are more inclined to sit on eggs than others, and this is what some keepers look for.

Do you have hens yourself? ...[cut]... She is probably inclined to sit on the eggs because she is alone.

No, the hen is where I work, I could be able to take her somewhere else, though other colleagues might be contrary.
I know that hens are gregarious animals, it's strange that this one prefers to live alone.

Oh and would keep leaving food for her (hopefully its not being eaten by rats) - she wont stray far from her eggs if v.broody, and will really need that food (does she have access to water) - kudos to you you for helping her

On Monday I brought her some food, and I also gave her fresh water, I will check as often as possible that she has what she needs.
I will also look for someone that can take of her in the best ways, but meanwhile I think she's rather tired of her condition...

aonb

Irish Stones, dont worry about her too much - as long as she gets off the eggs to feed/drink, she is fine - its perfectly natural for hens to sit on eggs - its just that some of them will keep sitting on unfertilized eggs, so that the brooding goes on and on.

To break the cycle, if a hen goes broody, and the eggs are not fertilized (i.e. will never produce chicks) it is best to lift an hen off the clutch, and prevent her from roosting (by closing the coop etc)

Obviously you cant do this as this is not a hen in a normal environment.
She is probably sitting on the eggs because she is alone. It is stressful for her not to have other hens about.
She was probably dumped, or strayed - she would not 'choose' to live outside the flock. Can you find out if there is someone nearby who may have lost her?!

Try to find her a new home with other hens. Ignore your contrary colleagues, this is for the hens well-being, when you find a henkeeper that will take her, just pop her in a cardboard box quietly one evening when you are finished work and take her away. SHe will soon settle in with the new flock.

You are very kind to make the effort. I hope you can find someone to adopt her into their flock soon

Irish Stones

Aonb,
thanks for the advice.
I will try to find some good person who will like to keep her and let her live a hen life along with others.
I'll let you know

Irish Stones

Thanks for your assistance
Yesterday morning I rang my vet who found a person right away, in less than two hours we organized the thing. This morning I caught the hen, put her in a cardboard box (along with her three eggs) and ran to the vet where this girl received the hen.
She, the hen, will live with other three of her kind for the rest of her natural life

aonb

Thats FANTASTIC!! Well well well done!
I think your animal-rescue-brownie points must be getting to maximum level at this stage Irish Stones - I remember you rescued those little baby rabbits/hares recently too.
The hen will be much happier with her new flock, not to mention getting fed and sheltered too.

Irish Stones

aonb wrote: »

Thats FANTASTIC!! Well well well done!
I think your animal-rescue-brownie points must be getting to maximum level at this stage Irish Stones - I remember you rescued those little baby rabbits/hares recently too.
The hen will be much happier with her new flock, not to mention getting fed and sheltered too.

I have rescued many other animals, like pigeons, quails, hedgehog, cats, squirrels, rabbits and more.
The only reward I wish is that one (far) day I'll meet them all in a better place than this. I think I'd rather spend my eternity with them than with former humans
I wish you boarders all the best!