Broodies fighting?? HELP??!!

[ms.cluckling]

My chickens (1 roo, 3 hens) are about 1 and 1/2 years old. I have never had a broody before, until about 2 weeks ago, one of my hens, Coco, started exhibiting signs of being broody. When I got within ten feet of her (inside the nest box), she'd puff up her feathers and scream. That lasted about 2 hours. Then she was back to being normal little Coco, until about 3 days ago, when I found her sitting in the box, screaming her head off at anyone in the near vicinity. I thought it was just a temporary thing, but for 3 days, she hasn't gotten off the nest once except to eat and drink. Everyday, I have to wrestle her to get the eggs from under her, because my mom wont let her brood (no more chickens for us, sadly). when my other hens, Dot and Camilla, want to lay eggs, they have to get on top of her in the box, and Coco pecks them half to death, until I take her out of the box. Today, I saw Coco pecking Dot in the box, so I took coco out, put her outside, and let Dot do her thing. Then, Dot, my sweetest hen (who has never pecked anyone), began GROWLING at me! Can hens even growl??!! I backed away, and she began clucking sweetly to her egg. I've never seen her do that before. My initial thought was 'great, another broody,' but then Dot climbed out, and went off on her merry way. (Coco, however, is back in the box). But I swear, Coco and Dot were staring each other down! Should I expect Dot to go broody in a few weeks, as Coco did? Was this just her "test drive?" Is it possible that, since they are all the same age, they will all go broody during the same time period? (the last thing I need is Camilla to start). And how do I get Coco to stop? I don't want to hurt her, and it just about breaks my heart when she looks under her, discovers I've taken her egg, and begins to...well...do whatever the chicken approximation of crying is. I really need help, I have no idea what to do! School's starting in a few weeks, and I don't have time to deal with crazy chickens.

Thanks in advance

--Emily

OH, and I'm not sure if this helps at all...but Peeps (my roo) is a white leghorn, Coco is a Cuckoo Marans, Dot is an Easter Egger, and Camilla is a blue/silver laced cochin.

 

[SnowPeeOstrichU]

Make a broody breaker! It works for me, and has 3 out of 3! You make a cage to fit in the coop with chicken wire on the bottom so it is cold and uncomfortable for her to be sitting on imaginary eggs. The cage should have a perch, food, and water, and be so she is in it all the time. Birds always are comfortable perching. Put her in it for a few days. You'll notice her poo getting bigger, and the hormone/behavior should stop!

I was sad the first time one of mine got broody. But this works and it is only for a few days she is in it, and she will be herself afterwords!

 

[SnowPeeOstrichU]

I don't think the fact they are the same will affect if they go broody at the same time.

 

[ms.cluckling]

The Broody Breaker sounds like an excellent idea...but, now we have a situation...can chickens even lay on command? Because sometime yesterday, I suppose Coco realized there was nothing under her, so she decided to lay an egg. She's been sitting on it for at least 24 hours. Is there already something alive in there by this point, or is it still safe to remove? Thanks

 

[SnowPeeOstrichU]

Is your roo in the same coop as Coco? When one of mine got broody she never laid an egg..... Could one of the other hens laid and she just scooted it under her? That happened with me. The other hens would lay and she would scoot them under her. I don't know as much about hatching because I live within city limits so I can only have four.