Baffeled on "Broody" hen.....Whadda think?

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usschicago1

usschicago1

Suburban Cochins
10 Years
Aug 11, 2009
4,349
41
274
Taunton, MA
Ok so after 2 months i finally told someone that i could send them my SQ white cochin eggs. (been laying evryday the past 2 wks). The day i tell them, my hen goes broody on the nest.
This was yesterday.So yesterday around 3:00 yesterday I put her in a wire rabbit cage to brake her broodieness really fast. Today at three there was an egg! (and it was fertile "bullseye". Figured i caught it early and let her off. Then she goes outside for and hour and BACK ON THE NEST
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. So now shes back on the rabbit cage...Do you think she'll lay tomorrow?
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Need your advice!
 
Pour some water on her head. Or stick a feather up her nostril. I've heard people used those methods a long time ago. Gross.
Sorry, no good advice here!
 
I had the same problem. I tried to break her from being broody but couldn't do it and then I started feeling bad for her. I'm just a softee. I spoke with my neighbor down the road (she's had chickens for eons) and she said 'let her hatch babies'. I said shouldn't hens be broody in the spring when it gets warmer and the days longer? She said 'not necesarilly. She's had hens hatch chicks in the middle of winter and they have been fine. Momma hen takes very good care of them and knows just what to do.

Long story short I put 8 fertilized eggs under my hen (got them from my neighbor) on October 3 and so far so good. She is an excellent mommy. When I took away the golf balls and gave her the eggs I was in awe! I actually sat on the coop floor and watched her with tears in my eyes. She used her beak to push the eggs under her, made coooing noises and shimmied her little butt down to make sure all of them were covered. When the other hens came near her she screeched like a raccoon.

I keep water and food within pecking distance for her. I've never seen her move the eggs but she is in a large laying box and she does shuffle the eggs back and forth. One day she will be laying on the left side and the next day she will be on the right side. I hope she has at least one baby that makes it.

Here I go jabbering again. I'm in southern NH and I think you should let her have a go at it. Our weather isn't that different. Actually I think you might be a little warmer than we are.

Go for it!
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Quote:
Well ill give her a few more days in the braker and then maybe put something under her. Her comb looks redder today...GOOD LUCK O YOU HATCH!!
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Thanks
Mark
 

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