Hi have three australorps no rooster two are laying but one just sits in the nesting box 24/7 that she is getting bald underneath! She has not laid a egg yet either, I get Tina and lock her out of the coop and then she goes crazy with her cackling and running around then does a gaint poo as she has been sitting all day and I mean gaint!!!!!! As soon as she gets a chance as the noise I worry about the neighbors I let her back in and straight back to the nesting box and shuts up. Please can anyone help as new to this and worried about what to do? Is she egg bound if so how do I check?They have a good diet and fresh water and plenty of fresh scraps and pickings.
Hi, it sounds like you have a broody chicken on your hands,lol. She'll get over it or you could try to break her.I take my broodies off the nest several times a day & dip them in cool water,just up to their belly. It takes a few days to break them. It's been very hot here, I make certain they get off the nest alot to drink. Yeah those big poops are normal for broody hens. Good luck
Hello I also Have hens that want to sit all day, I haven't tried the cool water dip , but it sounds like a great idea. I have a mixed flock, 3 buff Or pullets, 5 buff chicks, 20 Barred Rock chicks, ( IF I sexed them right 11 roosters, 9 hens) 1 huge Orange rooster named Jaques, 8 mature Barred Rock hens, only getting 2-4 eggs a day. I was thinking of placing a box fan in the hen house to cool it more, very warm weather here in Il. Does anyone have an opinion on that ? Thanks T
Thanks some else at work told me to dunk her in water also but it is cold here at the moment but when it warms up a bit I will dunk her as she id driving me crazy with her silly behavoiur as she has me being her mother hen making sure Tina is eating and drinking and feel like a heel chucking her out of the box were she wants to be, then running around like a chook with it's head cut off! excuse the pun lol
Tressiah, I'm in Bakersfield, CA where it hovers in the high 90's to 105 most of the summer. I freeze 2 liter soda pop bottles (2 bottles, 4 hens) and put them in run about a yard apart. The ladies lay between them or sit on them for a while. I lay down pine shavings and that helps the ice stay frozen longer.