Babysitting?

[Debs8]

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My girls are now producing eggs... Yay! And I am still their rooster... geeesh! Anyway, I am wondering if anyone elses hens share nest duties? My girls gather whatever eggs are layed, and put them all together, and they take turns sitting until I gather the eggs up. Is this normal for hens to do?
So strange... lol

 

[dawnchick]

Oh, yes. All sorts of egg handling behaviors are normal. I hope they aren't all going broody on you. If the eggs stop, that may be the reason.

 

[Debs8]

I hope not... that sounds like a bad thing. What exactly is broody? They have only been laying for a month.

 

[Silkie-Feet]

broody is when a hen decides a she wants to have some chicks and starts to sit on eggs. but it will do no good unless you have a rooster.

 

[dawnchick]

Right. Broodies stay on the nest almost 24 hours a day, usually getting off once to eat and poop. They fluff up and growl at you if you try to move them. They pluck some of their soft chest feathers to "feather the nest." They spread out as if keeping a large clutch of eggs warm. They will do this even if there are no eggs, or on golf balls, etc. If you lift them off, they just get back on the nest, possibly waiting til after you leave. If nothing hatches they may keep it up for weeks or even months. At some point, if this happens to you, you may have to read up on the various methods to "break a broody." I had one stay broody for 6 months. They can actually eventually starve (she didn't, just lost weight and finally gave up.)