Do you make your broody hens go eat?

[TRAILRIDER]

Sometimes I wonder how often my little hen eats and drinks while she has eggs. She loses alot of weight while sitting. Then I force her to take a vacation after babies hatch and grow up. She's a silkie and would hatch one clutch afer another. Take care all. Mary.

[JamesC]

Mary:
I have never found it necessary to take a broody off of her nest to eat. There are ways you can tell. I always set a broody up in a pen by herself with her nest, food and water. When she gets off the nest, the first thing she will do is empty her bowels - you know how big and stinky that is, it's easy to find. The other is to feel her crop at the end of the day. If it has food in it, you can be sure she got the nest off to eat.
Broodies will lose a fair amount of weight during the 3 weeks they are on the nest. That's what leads to the moult they go through while raising their chicks. By the time a broody has begun to lay another clutch of eggs, she is very nicely conditioned again. I have never raised silkies but I'm sure they must lay another clutch before the hormones change again to make her broody once more.
James

[Josh]

Yes, let the hen decide for herself. Her biological clock and body is set up to take this sort of 3 week "fasting". Just make sure there is food and water nearby for when she does occasionally get off to eat/drink. Best of luck with your new chicks!

[AnnaXLA1]

I just make sure there is feed and water avaiable to the hen she will eat when she is hungry