Broody, what should I do.

SpudtheBinx · « **on:** May 14, 2009, 17:00 »

Mrs STB just had a text from our new landlord. Apparently two of the chickens we will be keeping in a couple of weeks are going broody. He said we need to get them some eggs. Is that only on the assumption we want to hatch some, or do broody hens need something to sit on, albeit china eggs, fertile egs or whatever? If we leave them with nothing to brood on, will it do them any harm or will they harm each other?

Thanks!

andreadon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 14, 2009, 17:15 »

unless he specifically wants to hatch some eggs from her, no you don't have to have eggs under her whilst she's broody.

quite a lot of people try to stop their chooks going broody (or at least want them to stop!)
i'm sure someone will be a long in a minute to help.

Wyandottie · « **Reply #2 on:** May 14, 2009, 19:02 »

I am not really an expert so will obviously defer to anyone who replies after me. However I do have a broody little hen at the moment. She is sitting on everyone else's eggs. I remove all eggs at regular intervals, and when I do so, I usually carry her into the run where I have something nice on offer - fresh greens or a bit of corn. She then generally has a stretch, a dust bath and some pellets and water and after a while returns to sit in the empty nest box. I imagine she will repeat this behaviour for several more days yet - I assuming she has a hormonal cycle which will eventually return to normal!

Tickhunter · « **Reply #3 on:** May 14, 2009, 20:04 »

Hi, I have had the same problem for the past 4 days. She is not moving out of the house at all and as the other 3 lay their eggs in the same place as her, we are only getting 1 egg a day at the moment instead of 4

. She very much dislikes me moving her off the egg but I am at a loss about what to do as this is the only house we have at the moment. Apparently its best to isolate her. She will however never have chicks as we dont have a cock. I am considering buying a new hen house with 2 seperate boxes so we can leave her be....

Legbar · « **Reply #4 on:** May 14, 2009, 20:54 »

Quote from: Wyandottie on May 14, 2009, 19:02

I am not really an expert so will obviously defer to anyone who replies after me. However I do have a broody little hen at the moment. She is sitting on everyone else's eggs. I remove all eggs at regular intervals, and when I do so, I usually carry her into the run where I have something nice on offer - fresh greens or a bit of corn. She then generally has a stretch, a dust bath and some pellets and water and after a while returns to sit in the empty nest box. I imagine she will repeat this behaviour for several more days yet - I assuming she has a hormonal cycle which will eventually return to normal!

The hen will emerge first thing in the morning, eat something, defecate, and then return to her eggs - they will feed themselves, but hoofing them out won't really cause them any harm.

It takes an egg 21 days to mature and hatch, so the hen will remain broody for about a month. They can be very persistant

Wyandottie · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2009, 18:17 »

Mine has been broody for a week now - so only another three weeks to go! She doesn't seem to mind being moved out of the nest box, and it gives me a chance to cuddle her. Although I have two nest boxes, some of the other hens squash in alongside her and lay their eggs, which she promptly takes over when they leave! She doesn't seem too bothered either when I remove eggs. Legbar is right too about the hen leaving the nest box first thing in the morning to for a wash and brush up and a bit of breakfast. When she first exhibited signs of broodiness, I was worried she would starve herself to death - not so! She's certainly caught on quick about the arrival of the breakfast bowl and is determined not to miss out.

babe · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2009, 18:25 »

if you dont want to hatch eggs, you can usually stop the broodiness by ducnking her bottom in some cooler water to bring her temp down and then shutting her out of any nesting area.

if she is really stubborn get her some fake eggs, she'll go back to normal when she realises they arent hatching.

unfertile eggs left under a broody for 3 weeks can explode, very messy and smelly

Tattyanne456 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 16, 2009, 13:06 »

I too have a broody hen. We are in week three of broodyness now! I do as all others suggested. Remove eggs promptly, pick her up and put her outside the coup. She sits there for a bit, then goes running across the garden to her favourite dust bath, comes back has something to eat and drink then goes back to the coup. I figure she will get over it by herself.

raeburg · « **Reply #8 on:** May 16, 2009, 19:03 »

Well the ex-bat who lives with the silkies has now decided that she is broody too! Three broody hens. Is it catching? She's the only one of the bats to have gone broody, this is following her treatment for egg peritonitis.

Foxy · « **Reply #9 on:** May 16, 2009, 19:57 »

The thing is with broodies is there is never one when you want one! Then when you dont they come along like buses!

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Broody, what should I do.

SpudtheBinx

Broody, what should I do.

andreadon

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Wyandottie

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Tickhunter

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Legbar

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Wyandottie

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babe

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Tattyanne456

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raeburg

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Foxy

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