Chantecler Thread!

[RogerChicken]

I noticed the girls dust-bathing together, which I hadn't seen before.

Three of them all lying down together in a dusty depression, splashing around.

 

[RogerChicken]

One of my hens has gone broody!

Pretty sure that's what it is. She's just squatting in the nesting box and won't be displaced. Spent all night in there, and all day.

On the other hand, she's not ornery at all -- still entirely good-natured.

But I picked her up and put her into the run anyway. She seems to be walking around as usual.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Are you adding light? Is she laying? It would be unlikely that a hen would go broody now.

 

[Folly's place]

I have two broody hens right now, and no eggs that I want hatched. It figures, when I want chicks, nobody will be interested...
And my May cockerel, who's been physically mature for a while, is FINALLY producing a decent crow. He still is submissive to our adult bantam rooster, who has been 'civilizing' the two cockerels we've kept, but at this point this little rooster is no longer all that helpful.
Flock dynamics, always interesting.
Mary

 

[RogerChicken]

Are you adding light? Is she laying? It would be unlikely that a hen would go broody now.

I'm not adding light, but all my chickens haven't slowed down laying at all! I think maybe because they're still pretty young (under a year old.)

And it's frickin dark up here. Sunset around 1630.

But I'll keep on keeping an eye on her! Thanks.

 

[RogerChicken]

So I've been moving her out into the run and closing the henhouse door for about 3 hours before bedtime and she seems just fine out there, walking around and eating and drinking and such, so I'm not too worried about her.

On a different topic -- I've noticed now when my chickens get startled, sometimes they stamp their feet really loud and then kinda crouch down? Maybe it's a common thing but I can't recall hearing of it before.

 

[RogerChicken]

On a different topic -- I've noticed now when my chickens get startled, sometimes they stamp their feet really loud and then kinda crouch down? Maybe it's a common thing but I can't recall hearing of it before.

Aha, I see it's a submission thing. That makes sense.

 

[RogerChicken]

I've been closing up the henhouse door for 3-4 hours a day and putting the broody hen out in the run, which has been working for me, I think.

However it also keeps everyone else out of the laying boxes.

Interestingly, this isn't actually a problem! They all just rush in when I eventually do open it back up and then lay their eggs.

I wasn't sure if a chicken could 'hold it in' to any degree, but it seems like they can!

 

[Sally PB]

I wasn't sure if a chicken could 'hold it in' to any degree, but it seems like they can!

I have seen one of my Australorps "hold it in" for several hours when the coop was under construction for a few hours.

But I have a pullet who is new to laying who seems to just drop them anywhere.

 

[RogerChicken]

A couple pictures of Blanche being broody:

Note the classic 'very spread out' posture, associated with broodiness.

Other chickens like to snuggle with her occasionally.