Broody Weirdness

[igorsMistress]

She’ll want to have them out and about so she can teach them how to take care themselves and growing up within the flock they learn the rules. At that age they’re fast enough to avoid the bigs if necessary.

 

[CoopBoots]

Good article. I have alfa hay but all I did was put a little on the bottom. Should I build it all up for her? The eggs are ALWAYS at the back, behind her.

I would definitely add material, as much as reasonable to make a bowl shape with a padded bottom layer. I personally would also try adding straw around her in a circle; she will likely rearrange it all herself but it seems like she needs a little assist in creating that bowl and borders so eggs don't slip out.

 

[FreedomGalTx]

But you said she went broody three weeks ago? Has she been sitting that long?

Honestly, any time you put chicks under a hen it’s a risk. As long as she has been sitting long enough I’ve had good luck with it. Just be sure to do it after dark and put them under her from behind.

If your crew gets along well then you may not have to put them in a cage. I never separate my broodies from the flock. Mama will protect them, just leave food and water on the floor. Usually the other flock members are curious but don’t bother them.

Well yes she went broody 3wks ago with no eggs under her. Then I borrowed a rooster who gave me fertilized eggs after he was isolated. Didn't have fertilized eggs to put in there until this Tues. My coop is small & deep litter method right outside the nesting boxes. I don't see how I cam put food & water there without the other bothering it. She has only been on eggs since Tues late afternoon.

 

[K0k0shka]

If she has already been sitting for 3 weeks, and you start her on a new cycle with fertilized eggs now for another 3 weeks, that might be a bit much for her body, to spend 6 weeks broody and sitting. They don't eat or drink enough while broody, even if they have food nearby - they eat just enough to stay alive, but not enough to be strong and healthy long term. Prolonged broodiness will weaken her. Also, not all hens make good moms. Some fail to keep all eggs under themselves, some will leave eggs unattended too long, some will abandon the eggs altogether, or not bond with the chicks. Sounds like your hen is still trying to figure it out. The shape of the nest can help, but if a hen has good instincts, the shape of the nest won't stop her from doing a good job, and likewise, if she can't manage the eggs, the nest won't solve that problem. Broodies are a gamble... So prepare yourself for potential failure (to finish the eggs off in an incubator if you really want chicks, or discard the eggs if you don't).

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd increase the lip on those nests another three inches or so to keep the bedding in and then add a few inches of bedding. You do not have to shape that bedding, they will do that for themselves. I'd do that even just for laying eggs, let alone incubating or hatching. With the lip that low they will scratch bedding out trying to shape it.

You can try moving her to another nest. It does not always work but often does. I'd want room for a nest, food, water and just a bit more. I'd lock her in there until the eggs hatch so she cannot get out and others cannot get in. By instinct she should know to not poop in her nest but may mess up the water or food. You would need to clean that area. If you try this move her after dark and leave her locked in there until just before dark the next day. By then you should know if she has accepted the move or not.

Before a hen goes broody she stores up a bunch of excess fat. That's mostly what she lives off of while on the nest so she can take care of the eggs instead of needing to look for food. Most have enough fat to last through five or more weeks of incubating before they use up that fat. Your hen has already been three weeks so you are getting close to that limit. Most hens will break from being broody when they run out of that fat so they don't hurt themselves but occasionally you get one that doesn't. I'd be a bit nervous giving her new eggs to start over.

You obviously want chicks. Getting the rooster proves that. I think your best bet right now is to either find some chicks three days old or less if you can, maybe at a feed store, and give them to her at night. Or break her from being broody this time and be more ready next time. Treat this as a learning experience. If she has gone broody one she is likely to go broody again. No guarantees but likely.

 

[FreedomGalTx]

If she has already been sitting for 3 weeks, and you start her on a new cycle with fertilized eggs now for another 3 weeks, that might be a bit much for her body, to spend 6 weeks broody and sitting. They don't eat or drink enough while broody, even if they have food nearby - they eat just enough to stay alive, but not enough to be strong and healthy long term. Prolonged broodiness will weaken her. Also, not all hens make good moms. Some fail to keep all eggs under themselves, some will leave eggs unattended too long, some will abandon the eggs altogether, or not bond with the chicks. Sounds like your hen is still trying to figure it out. The shape of the nest can help, but if a hen has good instincts, the shape of the nest won't stop her from doing a good job, and likewise, if she can't manage the eggs, the nest won't solve that problem. Broodies are a gamble... So prepare yourself for potential failure (to finish the eggs off in an incubator if you really want chicks, or discard the eggs if you don't).

Oh no. We tried to break her broodiness 3x last year! Nothing worked. I don't need chocks. I'm just trying to give her what she seems to want. Idk what to do. We have gotten maybe a dozen eggs from her in 14months because as soon as she done being broody, she does it again. What would you do?

 

[K0k0shka]

Oh no. We tried to break her broodiness 3x last year! Nothing worked. I don't need chocks. I'm just trying to give her what she seems to want. Idk what to do. We have gotten maybe a dozen eggs from her in 14months because as soon as she done being broody, she does it again. What would you do?

Have you tried the crate method? I don't let mine sit at all unless I'm the one who wants chicks, not the hen. What she wants is out of the question if it's in conflict with what I want. The earlier you break them, the easier it's going to be. The longer they've been sitting, the harder they'll be to break. So I keep a close watch on mine, if any of them spend too long in the nest I watch to see where they'll sleep that night. If they choose to overnight in the box, I take them out and put them on the roost. If they go right back to the box the next morning and stay there for several hours, then I declare them broody and go right into active breaking mode. Not just taking the hen out of the nest indefinitely, only to have her go right back to it. I either do the crate method, or a modified version of it - you can read about it here. You have to be committed and persistent and go all in, otherwise it can drag on for weeks. Put her somewhere isolated where she has nothing soft and dry to sit on - no bedding, nothing at all - and keep her there until she's broken. The crate method is very effective and has the bonus that she can still be with the flock, if you put the crate in the coop or run - so they won't forget her and you won't have to re-introduce her. Just make sure she has no bedding, the floor of the crate is taken out, and the crate is raised off the floor, so she's standing on the wire (I put a low roost in the crate as well). Keep her in there (with food and water) for a good long while, until she's broken (it can take up to a week or more if she's persistent, but you have to be more persistent than her).

 

[FreedomGalTx]

Have you tried the crate method? I don't let mine sit at all unless I'm the one who wants chicks, not the hen. What she wants is out of the question if it's in conflict with what I want. The earlier you break them, the easier it's going to be. The longer they've been sitting, the harder they'll be to break. So I keep a close watch on mine, if any of them spend too long in the nest I watch to see where they'll sleep that night. If they choose to overnight in the box, I take them out and put them on the roost. If they go right back to the box the next morning and stay there for several hours, then I declare them broody and go right into active breaking mode. Not just taking the hen out of the nest indefinitely, only to have her go right back to it. I either do the crate method, or a modified version of it - you can read about it here. You have to be committed and persistent and go all in, otherwise it can drag on for weeks. Put her somewhere isolated where she has nothing soft and dry to sit on - no bedding, nothing at all - and keep her there until she's broken. The crate method is very effective and has the bonus that she can still be with the flock, if you put the crate in the coop or run - so they won't forget her and you won't have to re-introduce her. Just make sure she has no bedding, the floor of the crate is taken out, and the crate is raised off the floor, so she's standing on the wire (I put a low roost in the crate as well). Keep her in there (with food and water) for a good long while, until she's broken (it can take up to a week or more if she's persistent, but you have to be more persistent than her).

Wow. Ok. Thanks. I don't have a crate, I guess I'm getting one.

 

[igorsMistress]

Well yes she went broody 3wks ago with no eggs under her. Then I borrowed a rooster who gave me fertilized eggs after he was isolated. Didn't have fertilized eggs to put in there until this Tues. My coop is small & deep litter method right outside the nesting boxes. I don't see how I can put food & water there without the other bothering it. She has only been on eggs since Tues late afternoon.

It doesn’t really matter if she had eggs under her. She’s been in there long enough for her hormones to kick off if she gets chicks. I’m just addressing your concern for her health. If you want to let her sit long enough to start over that’s up to you.

 

[Fortune]

I have a Wyandotte who is just over a year. Last summer she laid eggs for 2 weeks then went broody 2x. She was thin & pale comb. We just couldn't break her. She fattened up over the winter & now has gone broody again. Color still good. Problem is I borrowed a rooster for fertilized eggs & she will lay on 1 or 2, then pushes them behind her. At one point she had 4, then pushed out 2. Now she is laying on 1, pushed out the 2 lighter ones she laid on all day & night yesterday. What is she doing? I want her to be able to do this if it's what she wants. The eggs are fertilized, I've had the rooster for 7days & cracked one open to check before giving her access to them. She stopped laying 3weeks ago when she went broody put we forced her out for 3hrs a day until the rooster came. Idk what I'm doing. These are our 1st chickens. I'd like her to hatch at least 3 so.i can keep any pellets & give my friend any roos

I'm going through something similar with my girls and their about 14 months as well. Today I found an egg under my blue jersey who laid outside and when I took it from her she followed me. I laid it down to feed the others and she moved it back to her spot about 3 ft away! She was trying to get the egg back in the box! I have been kicking them out or they'd starve. Not sure what to do. One is losing feathers like she's molting again!