[weedo]

Any advice would be appreciated. I have 3 hybrid hens, about a year and 3 months. 2 of them have been fine and healthy and producing eggs every day. April on the other hand has always laid dodgey looking eggs, often soft shelled, if not, funny shapes and rough. Over the past week when I was away and the kids were in charge she started to stay in the coop, only coming out to eat and drink. Now that I am back I can confirm that she stays in the coop and any eggs that are laid by the other hens she will nick and sit on them. Following advice on this site I asked my son to remove her from the nest box. Armed with gloves etc, due to all the pecking and squarwking he did this to find she was on 3 eggs. We shut the door of the coop so she could not get back in. Fot the rest of the day she ate and drank but she was constantly rosey and her vent was always pushing and throbbing as though she is constipated? The other 2 hens are facinated with her bottom and try to peck. I opened up the coop late afternoon and she went to bed very early and we have the same problem with her this morning. Is this throbbing of her vent and pushing a symptom of broodiness or do you think there is a physical problem that is causing her to be broody? not sure what to do. Thanks

[Vember]

The vent does seem to "twitch" a bit more than normal on a broody hen, I have always put this down to the fact they store their poops then do huge ones
She does sound as if she's broody


Sarah

[weedo]

Thanks. What do I do next? and how long will it last?

[stickywicket]

My bantams are always going broody but I just lock them out of the hen house as much as possible and eventually they give up though one of them can last for 2/3 weeks.

[weedo]

  Thanks. Thats what I am doing. We lift her out of bed whilst she squeals and pecks and put her over the fence on the other side of garden with some food and water so that the other hens can go and lay in peace. We dont put her back over until early evening. She eats and drinks and does some occasional scratching but most of the time looks like a total misery! Is a almost consistant rosey a symptom as well?

[kitkat]

Yes , constant rosey is a symtom of broodiness, i've got one that does it for about 11 months of the year