Ok, starting about 3 weeks ago, my bantam would seem to take forever to lay her eggs. She'd go in the nest and sit there for hours at a time. Finally about 10 days ago, she was on the next for over 5 hours before I took her off to get her egg. She was none too happy with me!
ETA: all 3 chickens are 27 weeks now.
From that point on, everytime she saw this particular nest, she'd run to get in it, settle herself down, and then scream at anyone who came near. I figured this meant she was turning broody. We took the nest away for a few days, and she finally lost interest in it.
She has not laid since that day she was on the nest for 5 hours. She has also crowed a few times, and while she hasn't challenged the head hen (SLW) she picks on my Ameraucana a couple times a day and I have to separate them because the Ameraucana starts defending herself and jumps on top of the bantam!
Is there anything I can do to get the bantam to quit acting like a rooster? She's so small, it's very funny to see her strutting around and challenging the second-in-line chicken.
My mom said the only solution is to get a rooster......I really don't want to do that! We're in a neighborhood and really not supposed to have roosters (or anything) that makes a lot of noise. Thankfully the neighbors are very good-natured about the current chickens (especially since we give them fresh eggs sometimes...haha!) and I know they probably wouldn't mind a "quieter" bantam rooster, but still.....
Anyone have ideas or suggestions?
ETA: all 3 chickens are 27 weeks now.
From that point on, everytime she saw this particular nest, she'd run to get in it, settle herself down, and then scream at anyone who came near. I figured this meant she was turning broody. We took the nest away for a few days, and she finally lost interest in it.
She has not laid since that day she was on the nest for 5 hours. She has also crowed a few times, and while she hasn't challenged the head hen (SLW) she picks on my Ameraucana a couple times a day and I have to separate them because the Ameraucana starts defending herself and jumps on top of the bantam!
Is there anything I can do to get the bantam to quit acting like a rooster? She's so small, it's very funny to see her strutting around and challenging the second-in-line chicken.
My mom said the only solution is to get a rooster......I really don't want to do that! We're in a neighborhood and really not supposed to have roosters (or anything) that makes a lot of noise. Thankfully the neighbors are very good-natured about the current chickens (especially since we give them fresh eggs sometimes...haha!) and I know they probably wouldn't mind a "quieter" bantam rooster, but still.....
Anyone have ideas or suggestions?
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