SonflowerChick
Chirping
- Oct 1, 2011
- 14
- 2
- 77
I've read most of the posts on broodiness but haven't run across my exact situation.
About 2-3 weeks ago one of my hens (Buff Orpington) started fluffing out her feathers while walking around the yard, taking incessant dirt baths and being pecky with the other chickens (I only have 4 hens). My husband says "She thinks she has chicks", he has a little more chicken experience than I do. I thought it was cute so I didn't do anything about it.
Well this went on for a little over a week and then she started sitting in her nest refusing to move, you know, the usual no food, no water, no pooping and pecking anything and anyone who gets near her. So I separated her as many of the discussions have suggested but after 4-5 days in confinement, (I have a wire dog crate that we put on saw horses so it's off the ground) but no change so I gave up. I felt sorry for her, I know chickens don't have feelings, but I do.
Two of my others hens went broody, I put them in confinement for a couple of days and it broke the cycle. Not for Marilyn. The other weird thing is during this probably almost 3 week process she has laid an additional 2 or 3 eggs. None of the other chickens laid any eggs while they were brooding except for the first one they started laying on.
I have no rooster so no baby chickies. I wish I knew someone who had a baby chick or perhaps a fertilized egg I could give her to fulfill her dreams.
Any suggestions to break the broodiest hen ever?
Thanks
Phyllis
About 2-3 weeks ago one of my hens (Buff Orpington) started fluffing out her feathers while walking around the yard, taking incessant dirt baths and being pecky with the other chickens (I only have 4 hens). My husband says "She thinks she has chicks", he has a little more chicken experience than I do. I thought it was cute so I didn't do anything about it.
Well this went on for a little over a week and then she started sitting in her nest refusing to move, you know, the usual no food, no water, no pooping and pecking anything and anyone who gets near her. So I separated her as many of the discussions have suggested but after 4-5 days in confinement, (I have a wire dog crate that we put on saw horses so it's off the ground) but no change so I gave up. I felt sorry for her, I know chickens don't have feelings, but I do.
Two of my others hens went broody, I put them in confinement for a couple of days and it broke the cycle. Not for Marilyn. The other weird thing is during this probably almost 3 week process she has laid an additional 2 or 3 eggs. None of the other chickens laid any eggs while they were brooding except for the first one they started laying on.
I have no rooster so no baby chickies. I wish I knew someone who had a baby chick or perhaps a fertilized egg I could give her to fulfill her dreams.
Any suggestions to break the broodiest hen ever?
Thanks
Phyllis