4 Days On The Nest With No Eggs....

[RoosterRidge]

I Have 2 Tetra's that have been in the nesting boxes for 4 days now. They are not laying eggs, what the heck are they doing. They scream like crazy when I open the coop door, get all fluffed up and then when I rub them under their beaks they shut up. They look and walk fine when I do force them out of the box. I can't feel anything out of the ordinary when I take them out. They act like they are laying but then nothing. They have been laying for a good 2 months. I also have some who look awful going through a molt. This has just been a rough few weeks with my babies.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
A strange phenomenom sometimes refered to as "Broody" has overtaken your pullets. They will eventually get over it, or you can give them some fertile eggs to hatch, or you can try and break them of it. If you decide to break them, do a search on this site for how to break a broody. Personally, I would give them fertile eggs, or just let them run their course.........Pop

 

[RoosterRidge]

Quote:
A strange phenomenom sometimes refered to as "Broody" has overtaken your pullets. They will eventually get over it, or you can give them some fertile eggs to hatch, or you can try and break them of it. If you decide to break them, do a search on this site for how to break a broody. Personally, I would give them fertile eggs, or just let them run their course.........Pop

Thank you so much for responding. We have really had a time and I don't want to loose anymore of my babies. They are eating bread when I take it to them but as soon as I take them out of the nesting box they go right back in. I love BYC and all of you nice folks for all your advice. I would have never made it this far without all of you.

 

[Lollipop]

You`re welcome. Here`s a great article on broody hens. Have fun........Pop

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[crossgirl]

I just got my two broody's out of the box. I'd take them out several times a day and as soon as my back was turned they'd run right back in there, cram themselves in and not make room for the other girls to lay. The whole flock was in riot mood because no one wants to use the 2nd nest box that is exactly the same. I finally closed off the favorite one, the broody's have returned to normal chicken life although they're not back to laying yet and the other girls and grudgingly using the 2nd box.

 

[PegramPoultryProprietor]

This summer one of my Brahma hens went broody. I did what was suggested and put several fertile eggs under her. Unfortunately I also had a snake problem so a few days later the eggs were gone. Stay with me… Since she was still being stubborn and it was fairly hot I moved her and the nest box to a nice cage in the basement where I could keep an eye on her and gave her another set of eggs. I had some of the same questions many people probably do the first time around (when do they eat, drink ETC). and made some interesting observations. Once a day, usually in the evening when it was quiet, she would get up, stretch, and go to the furthest place in the cage and poop (in case you were wondering about that). After that she went to the feed and water, had her fill, and then back on the nest. Before settling in, and I thought this was cool, she would roll 3 or 4 the eggs on the outside of the clutch on top of the others, settle down on top of them, and go through this process with her feet I could only hear. The next day when she would get up, all of the eggs would have been turned and she would repeat the process. It’s amazing what comes so naturally to them. She did hatch a couple of babies. I think the reason others didn’t hatch was due to a couple of broken ones; maybe contaminated the others. After that she quit being fussy and went back to laying. Anyway, just wanted to share.