Broody at 6 mos old?

[beachchickie]

Are you kidding me? She has only been laying about 5 wks. She has it bad. Just started today. We are trying to go out of town. Always happens when I am leaving town. How do they know? I dunked in cold water tonite. We will see how tomorrow goes. I did not know they would do this at this age after laying only 5wks. Anyone else had this?

 

[PunkinPeep]

I had two go broody a day apart at about that age (maybe a little earlier). I had a steady string of broodies for a few months after that, and then the rotation started again.

 

[Mahonri]

I had a 6 month old Ameraucana pullet go broody after laying only 5 or 6 times.

I waited almost three weeks, put chicks under her and she attacked them.

Go figure. The two year old hens that went broody either hatched or accepted other chicks and were marvelous mothers.

 

[chics in the sun]

Yep, believe it or not, my LEGHORN went broody at 24 weeks. I had no intention of hatching more chicks, so it was like getting a Mustang you expect to go 100mph and it ends up not getting up over 55mph!! She is finally laying again after nearly two weeks in a wire bottom cage, and I'm getting those nice white eggs every single day again.

 

[beachchickie]

Anyone tried the cold water dunking booth? She acts awful. I only have 3 nest boxes she has one hogged. When I ran her out, she nested in the dirt bath hole. After I dunked her she ran off and pouted. I don't have a rooster and so I can't raise chicks. What a mess. She is a RIR. Everything I read says they rarely go broody. Oh well tomorrow is another day. Oh I noticed those of us with broodies live in the hot states.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I've dunked. It worked on some and not on others. Time out in a wire bottom cage (set it up on something or hang it) worked pretty good. It took 24 hours, and she didn't try again.

Most of the time, i just let them brood.

 

[beachchickie]

My coop has a wire bottom but not the nest maybe I should take the bottoms out of the nests. I hate leaving my poor old mom to deal with the nutty chicken.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Are you going to be gone for an awfully long time? It won't hurt her to brood on pine shavings for a few days. Maybe you could just wait and deal with her when you get back.

 

[beachchickie]

I guess I'll have to wait. I will be back on MOnday. I am so hoping the cooler weather will help

 

[pgpoultry]

I have had two Brahma hens who both went broody within two weeks of starting to lay. They both successfully hatched clutches of eggs. They both obviously liked the experience as they were back broody again within 7 weeks and one of the two has just hatched her third lot of chicks. She is just a year old.

Broodiness can be difficult to break as it is due to hormonal change and does not just switch on and off. The wire cage treatment is the kindest to break broodiness and won't cause your hen to hate you! Your 'teenage mum' won't be as good as an older hen at brooding, but will almost certainly do the job if you want chicks.


sandie