Broody or what ?

eggs on legs · « **on:** June 04, 2008, 14:08 »

My 4 laying chickens produce a regular 1 egg a day each. One of them has gone all broody in the last few days - refusing to shift off the nest.

I have moved her a few times and pinched the eggs. But 2 days ago production went down to 2 eggs, and yesterday none at all.

Can her broodiness be affecting the others into not laying ??[/color]

:shock: :?:

Bodger · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2008, 15:39 »

Hens lay eggs and then go broody. Depending on the breed, some may never go broody, some may lay lot of eggs before going broody and then some lay just a few eggs and then go broody. I hope you understand.

If the chickens are the same breed and you bought them at the same time and you have already got one of them gone broody, then the reduction in egg production, might then be indicitive that they are all approaching the end of their egg laying cycle more or less the same time.

eggs on legs · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2008, 15:57 »

They are quite young - less than a year old.

Its just weird that they all stopped the same day.

I may have 8 when I go and look tonight.

Bodger · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2008, 17:13 »

What breed are they Legs ?

Foxy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2008, 18:15 »

Mine do seem to go broody all together, at the moment have 3 squashed into one nestbox, one starts then they all do ...kinda domino effect

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2008, 23:03 »

One of my Goldlines has gone broody, but all 10 hens started to lay in a corner of the henhouse instead of the nest boxes. Well the broody kept in that corner, and wouldn't let any of the others go there, and they wouldn't then go back into the nestboxes! So I was down to 4 eggs a day!

We kept shutting her in the top tier of nestboxes for most of the day, only letting her out to eat and drink, but now if I find her in the house, I take her out and put her in the run. Once she's out, the other girls rush in to lay, so I think she was putting them off!

eggs on legs · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2008, 09:01 »

Grannie - thats sounds like what is happenning with mine. When Miss broody does deem to get up she is chased a bit by the others.

I had 1 egg yesterday which is something. No idea who laid it though. :shock:

Perhaps I will isolate her...? dont know what effect that will have but .........the others may lay again.

Breeds.. ??....they are a bit of a mixture - they seem to be hybrid or crossbreeds - one is made of 2 chickens I am sure. Brown warren up front and grey at the back.... see photo if it works.

peggyprice · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2008, 19:22 »

She looks exactly like my Bluebelle except for the much more pronounced brown/gold colouring at the head and neck (mine has a little, but not as much - picture below

eggs on legs · « **Reply #8 on:** June 09, 2008, 09:07 »

Yes Peggy, they are alike.

The bloke I bough mine off called one a bluebell...perhaps that was what he was on about. ? :shock:

peggyprice · « **Reply #9 on:** June 09, 2008, 09:41 »

I know the Bluebelles are hybrids, but I'm not sure what they are a cross of ... Grannie'll know ...

And your little brown one looks like a Warren, which is also a hybrid.

The others look familiar from other pictures I've seen up here, but I don't know the breeds well enough to tell you what they are :?

kizza · « **Reply #10 on:** June 09, 2008, 13:23 »

one on the right is a black rock

eggs on legs · « **Reply #11 on:** June 09, 2008, 13:27 »

So its a bluebelle, warren (I knew that one), and black rock (had an idea of that one)....3 down, 1 to go.

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #12 on:** June 09, 2008, 13:33 »

Actually Grannie doesnt know what the Bluebelle cross is, but we can find out!

Broody Mary is still frightening the others off, but they are now either laying back in their proper nest boxes, or like this morning, in another improvished nest under the night perches! Yuck!!!!! lol But I got 9 eggs yesterday and 8 so far today, so she is the only one not laying! But every time I go down to the house, I either chuck her in a nest box and close the perch up so she cant get out, or put her back in the run. She is very thin, but when I put her back in the run at least she has a good drink and feed before going back to her little spot in the house!

According to the Cotswold Chickens site, a Bluebelle is a cross between a Maran and a Rhode Island Red.

And yes, estranging her from the others is a good idea, but again, so they can still see each other. YOu need one of Munty's anti broody coops!

You said your broody gets picked on, but with Broody Mary, its the other way round, she thinks she's boss! Until I turn up that is!!!! lol

NormandyMary · « **Reply #13 on:** June 09, 2008, 21:06 »

Im having a bit of trouble with two of mine that have gone broody. One of them, a light sussex doesnt even sit on eggs, but my black rock does. I take the eggs everyday from the black one, and check the other one just in case, and then I pick them up and put them out for a while to eat drink and get some fresh air.
Question:
If they've gone broody, does this mean they wont lay anymore? They are both young birds, both under a year. Im getting 6 eggs a day from 9 hens.
Thanks.

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Broody or what ?

Bodger

Bodger

Foxy