Broody already?

[peartreehens]

So my cuckoo marans has been laying for about a month (she's 24 wks). All of the sudden today, she's been in the next box since 11a.m.! I opened the access door, and there she was still at 3 p.m, though she wet out into the run after I opened the box (must've made her mad). When I went back out after I saw her in the run, I collected the one egg in that next box (it was from my B), and I was surprised the CM hadn't laid her daily, very regular egg. Went back out this evening, and she's back in there again! Can she really be broody after laying for only a few weeks?????
thanks in advance

also, if one wanted to build a broody breaker, what size crate would one buy/build for a standard hen?
thanks!

 

[sumi]

She may be, but she may also be taking a bit long to lay her egg. My hens do that sometimes, they'd sit for hours and by the time I'm starting to think broody thoughts they'd get up and there's the egg If your hen spends at least 2 days in a row in the nest box and sleeps in the box as well chances are she's broody. Some hens play with broodiness though and I've had one sit for about 36 hours once before getting bored and walking off. Once the 2 days are up make sure by booting her off the nest and see what she does. If she walks around for a few minutes and returns to the box, spreading herself flat as a pancake and growls at you when you bother her she most likely is broody.

I've never used a broody breaker myself, I let my hens hatch eggs for us when they go broody, but I'd say give her a box/cage that is big enough to comfortably accommodate her and a food and water bowl with a little room to spare.

 

[Kelsie2290]

I had one CM from McMurray that did exactly that, laid about a dozen eggs then went broody. A lot of times, like Sumi said though, young hens especially will occasionally just take longer than normal to lay their eggs.
For broody breakers I usually just use a wire dog crate, size doesn't really matter, bottom wire spacing is usually around 1x4". I put a couple of perches in there and hang small food/water dishes on the sides so they can't stand or sit in them. Put the crate out in the open, I tend to put them in the middle of the barn aisle or garage so there is a lot of activity and light. They don't like to walk on the wire so they spend pretty much all the time on the perches, that works pretty well for most of them.

 

[peartreehens]

nope-she's totally broody after only a month of laying. She was trying to sleep in the nest box until I evicted her this evening. Bought the rabbit cage today. She's going in the broody breaker tomorrow.

do hens ever lay while they're broody? I'd already collected the eggs of both of my other layers, and I found Broody Girl sitting on a third. Think it was hers? Or did she swipe the first egg of my BSL (who's looking ready and squatting)??? I guess I'll find out after a few days in the Breaker . . .