[littlewitch]

  Sorry if this seems a daft ? but how do you tell if your chook/s are broody - and at what sort of age can they start to go broody?

Our silver sussex (Maggie) for the last 2 days seems to be spending a lot of time in the nest box - she protests when OH turfs her out    - about 10 mins ago he had to turf her out yet again and has now decided to close the door to the coop (all our birds are free to roam around the garden) but they still have access to the run & feed station (needless to say that with all the recent rain what was a reasonable lawn now is a muddy scrape!!  Will have to make temp  moveable wire covers & re-seed in  sections)    Things we do for our girlies!!   

[joyfull]

it sounds like yours is broody, what age is she?

[littlewitch]

Hi Joyful,  Well unsure of her exact age but we've had all 6 since early June - some were laying within about 3 weeks, but Maggie started laying after about 5 weeks (although she was not the last to start - that was her 'sister' chook 'Millie' the light sussex) so none of our girls are that old.  But on having a good look at her since closing the door on her, her tail is very erect over her back (similar to our leghorn) - she's fronted up (looking like a turkey with feathers fluffed up & wing spread) to our daft cocker who was only trying to go passed her and seems to be continually trying to get into the coop even tho' door closed!!

If she keeps this up tomorrow - looks like its the 'bucket of water' treatment for her!!  :blink: