Barred Rock gone broody and picked on???

[jeepgrrl]

Hi ya'll! Something is going on with Lacey, my Barred Rock. Right now I have a flock of four hens, all raised together from day one; they are approximately 13-14 months. Over the past few days I've noticed Lacey has been spending more and more time in the nesting box, sitting on two other eggs plus her own. (One hen (Welsummer) is a dud but on occasion, lays rubber eggs which she hasn't done for a few weeks). Anyway, I just took the eggs away Lacey had been sitting on and she would leave the box. Yesterday was the same thing, although it look her longer than usual to lay. Again I removed the eggs and she went out to free range with her sisters, but one of her sisters (Cuckoo Marans) kept pecking her in the head. When it was time to roost I found Lacey back in the nesting box. I moved her out of the box and put her up on the higher roost where she likes to sleep along with the other three hens. She was still up there at 5 am this morning when I checked on them before I left for work. When I got home around 3 pm, she was again in the box and sitting on two eggs that I took away but neither was hers. I picked her up and put her outside and she was still puffed up and sat on the ground as if she was still sitting on the nest. This invited a few more head pecks so I put her back in the box to give her more time to lay and get her away from the pecking. I checked back 60-90 minutes later and still no egg, so I picked her up out of the box and put her outside to try and get her to eat. I gave her some scratch and grit, which she ate. I then took her to the feeder, which is in the covered run for today in case it rains. Two of her sisters pecked her in the head (White Leghorn and Welsummer), and one of them (Welsummer) went after her a little more aggressively than before, so Lacey left the run without eating any feed. It should be noted that the Welsummer started roosting up with the other three hens for the first time starting a few days ago. So I'm not sure if Lacey is broody? She gets all puffed up when I reach under her to collect the eggs. And does anyone have any ideas why they are ganging up on Lacey? A few weeks ago it was the Welsummer that was being bullied. Also worth mentioning is I picked up five more day olds yesterday, but they are in the house, far from the coop, and will be in a separate coop when the time comes. Should I try separating Lacey to break her of her broodiness? Do hens get nasty and turn on a hen if she goes broody? Any input and/or advice would be most welcome! I'm worried about Lacey! Thank you!

 

[sourland]

Due to their change in behavior the flock frequently regards broody hens as strangers and treats them as such. After brooding hens have to work their way back into the pecking order. Your chickens are exhibiting normal behavior.

 

[Chickassan]

Yep totally normal, iv'e got a faverolle getting her butt kicked on the regular after being broody. Can't really fault the others, broodies are INSANE! My little hen burned alot of bridges so now she's paying the piper.

 

[Trux]

What you are describing is exactly what I am going thru with one of my White Orps. This is the second time in 3 months she has went broody. Before she did though I ordered chicks which will be here next week, so we are going to see if she wants to be a mama

 

[jeepgrrl]

Thanks for the input everyone! I'm relieved to learn this is a normal dynamic for hens. While I do have 5 two-day old chicks, I am concerned for their safety if I give them to Lacey to raise. Therefore, should I try to break her broodiness and separate her from the other hens, or just let her be? I worry that it's unhealthy for Lacey to just let her ride it out - not enough food/water intake, lack of exercise, no dust baths, etc., although she did give herself a good preening today.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Yup,normal,what’s unusual to me is she is so young.
Anywho,most generally birds More dominant then broody will harass while other lower then the hen setting avoid her.Unless the hen has been away for an obviously long time,and even then they still don’t have courage soemtiems to fight .Or if you have bantams.They seen to be almost huge targets due to their size and the fact their broody.My bantam is always targeted by the birds lower on her and bigger then her in the pecking order,but managed to fight her spot right back.Bullying Defiantly causes other birds to jump on the patty wagon and start in on broody birds,sick birds and new birds.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

She’s a young gal,in my book still a teen/kid regardless of laying and may either abandon or kill the chicks,but she may step to the plate and care for them.

Thanks for the input everyone! I'm relieved to learn this is a normal dynamic for hens. While I do have 5 two-day old chicks, I am concerned for their safety if I give them to Lacey to raise. Therefore, should I try to break her broodiness and separate her from the other hens, or just let her be? I worry that it's unhealthy for Lacey to just let her ride it out - not enough food/water intake, lack of exercise, no dust baths, etc., although she did give herself a good preening today.

 

[Trux]

Thanks for the input everyone! I'm relieved to learn this is a normal dynamic for hens. While I do have 5 two-day old chicks, I am concerned for their safety if I give them to Lacey to raise. Therefore, should I try to break her broodiness and separate her from the other hens, or just let her be? I worry that it's unhealthy for Lacey to just let her ride it out - not enough food/water intake, lack of exercise, no dust baths, etc., although she did give herself a good preening today.

separate her and introduce them after lights out when she is sleeping. This will break the broody part and mother mode will kick in and she should start eating drinking and teaching the chicks how to scratch and do things a chicken does. Just make sure the rest of the flock cant get to the chicks

 

[aart]

13 months is not too young to go broody...have had younger ones go at it.

A few days broody is probably not long enough to graft the chicks to her, and they may be too old....but you could give it a quick try well after dark tonite.

Otherwise I would break her in a wire crate right in the coop or at least amongst the flock.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

13 months I’ve read it wrong thought it was thirteen weeks.