Broody -- again --- :-(

[Quack Shack]

Sue, she's doing fine. Lacy and Rizzo (aka Big, Bossy and Red) met and decided that Rizzo was still in charge because Lacy just couldn't be bothered with her. She's foraging with the others and other than a peck or two when I told her she could not nest down for the night next to the water feeder outside the kennel she was fine this AM. She's marked a box as her favorite and just goes there to rest. We shucked corn yesterday evening so she was munching on some corn right up until dusk. I'll get an update this evening from the flockmaster.

 

[TexasVet]

Quote:
My cochin hatched out chicks in March. Has been laying for a week or 2 and now is broody agen! I am geting chicks tommorow so i dont need babys. But i think they can get broody faster then 7 months?

Chicken Girl

You misread... I said several months, not 7. Most of my broodies stick with their chicks until they're fully feathered, which takes a while.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[verity]

Hi Jamie --

Thanks for the update on 'Lacy' -- I am sure she'll be happy to do a bit of foraging and I'm glad that she didn't go immediately to stake out a nest --
She's never been a 'lap-chicken' but has a sweet demeanor --


We so enjoyed meeting your family yesterday -- your children are darling -- the 'Junior Chicken-Keeper' certainly seemed to know about chickens and was very confident handling 'Lacy' -
Eden in her pink shoes was so cute --
Good ages --- enjoy them, kids grow up so quickly!

The nest that Lacy had been hogging must be the favorite one as there were two eggs in it today ---

Thanks to everyone who offered advice!

SueR

 

[Greenmeena]

Wow, the water bucket method sounds pretty cruel and unnecessary. Please don't do that. I broke a broody hen in 2 days after sitting for 5 weeks just by putting 4 ice cubes at a time under her every few hours. It's a hormonal issue; when they have the hormones driving them to hatch eggs, it raises the temperature of the keel/belly. All you need to do is cool her down. That's what the wire cage method is all about. I find the ice cube "eggs" work faster, it's less invasive, she'll snap out of it on her own. Being cruel just stresses the hen which is why it breaks the broody cycle. Ugh.