Brooding singleton hen, just lost her two sisters to fox, not laying

[JudyA]

Hello,

I have a 1 1/2 year old Jersey Giant who is the sole remaining chicken from my first small flock of 4 birds. We lost one last fall to a fox, but just had another fox attack which killed two of the remaining three birds.

My question is about the remaining chicken, she just became broody the day before her sisters died, that was a week ago. She isn't coming out of the coop except maybe once a day to drink and eat, and she isn't laying eggs at all. Is it because she's broody or is it because shes alone in the coop now?

I'm also wondering... Will a single hen be OK? Will she stop laying eggs altogether? We think we'd like to replace the hens we lost, but don't seem to be able to buy only two or three birds so we're not sure what to do going forward.

Thanks for any input, I appreciate it!

 

[DobieLover]

She isn't coming out of the coop except maybe once a day to drink and eat

This is normal for a broody hen.

she isn't laying eggs at all

All broodies stop laying when they become fully broody and lock on the nest.

I assume her eggs are not fertile because you never mentioned losing a rooster to the fox.

I would get some fertile eggs of whatever breed/mix you want and give her no more eggs than she can comfortably cover. Then she can hatch out your pullets and you can either keep the best cockerel she hatches and cull the rest or cull all of them.

Is she secure in her coop/run? Did the fox get your birds while they were free ranging?

 

[sourland]

Good advice from @DobieLover or you could foster some chicks to her somewhere around 21 days of setting.

 

[FrostRanger]

Her behavior is probably due to being broody and once you harden your coop security now is the perfect time to buy some day old chicks to slip under her. With any luck she'll raise them for you. Meyer and my pet chicken will ship quantities as few as 3 if you want to stay at 4

 

[DobieLover]

now is the perfect time to buy some day old chicks to slip under her.

The perfect time is 21 days after she locked onto the nest.

 

[FrostRanger]

The perfect time is 21 days after she locked onto the nest.

Correct, I just meant now is the perfect time to arrange for that when 21 days comes around. Probably should have worded that better

 

[Mrs. K]

It does not have to be exactly 21 days, just kind of close say 17-24 days, somewhere in there.

Call your local feed store, most have fresh chicks coming in once a week or so, find out what day they come in, because you need pretty fresh chicks, less than 3-4 days old.

Make sure they all get a drink of water. Then take them down in the dark, let them get a little chilled, like maybe 5-10 minutes outside, they should be peeping madly.

Then in the dark as possible, I set a flashlight on a ledge close to the floor upside down, just enough light so you can see what you are doing. If she bites, wear a leather glove, stick a chick underneath her, a cold chick is going to burrow into that warm spot like a tick. Add the rest of the chicks, she may growl a bit and shift a bit nervously, and she may peck at a chick if he tries and comes out.

But almost immediately the peeping should go nearly silent, and her cluck will change. Then it is time to do the hardest part, close the coop up and leave.

A lot of people interfere too much, and upset the hen, and the attachment does not work. Keep it dark, spend as little time as possible in there, have the chicks be cold and seeking a warm spot and it will work like a charm.

She will raise them up, and there will be no problems.

Mrs K

 

[JudyA]

This is normal for a broody hen.

All broodies stop laying when they become fully broody and lock on the nest.

I assume her eggs are not fertile because you never mentioned losing a rooster to the fox.

I would get some fertile eggs of whatever breed/mix you want and give her no more eggs than she can comfortably cover. Then she can hatch out your pullets and you can either keep the best cockerel she hatches and cull the rest or cull all of them.

Is she secure in her coop/run? Did the fox get your birds while they were free ranging?

Thanks so much.
She is secure in her coop in the 10x10 cage …. They free range during the day and go inside at night. Now that it’s just her and she isn't leaving The coop, I’ve just been keeping the cage locked up so she’s safe.
We’ll see about getting some eggs for her to hatch.

Will she stay in the nesting box until she hatches an egg?!

Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[DobieLover]

Will she stay in the nesting box until she hatches an egg?!

Yes. Or until she dies. Don't wait more than another couple days to give her hatching eggs.
If you cannot procure hatching eggs quickly, let her set on fake eggs and get some day-old chicks for her and graft them to her at night, after dark, at around the 21 day mark.