I sort of figured Betty would be a broody hen. She had always taken at least an hour and a half to lay an egg. The longest of any of the hens. Before she went broody, I got two new hens to add to my flock of four easy going girls. One turned out to be a bully. She challenged every hen except my Black Australorp, Wanda Sykes, who had made it clear through a stare down that she was having none of that! The RIR, Lucille Ball, and the sex link, Lily Tomlin, fought back and settled things right away. But poor Betty took the brunt of the mean girl's attacks. She tried submitting, which seemed to make it worse. Then Wanda stepped in and charged the mean girl when she was attacking Betty. It didn't stop the attacks, but Wanda just couldn't stand by and watch. I rehomed the mean girl to a gentleman who had no other hens but did have a rooster, who I assume was very happy to take on the mean girl. As soon as the mean girl was gone, the rest of the flock settled back down. Before much longer Betty went broody and within days, Wanda joined her. Having two out of five hens setting on empty nests was seriously cutting into my egg supply. And trying to break two hens at the same time was proving to be very difficult. I tried a number of things but was having no luck. Finally after a week or so, Wanda gave it up on her own. Guess she figured Betty was safe enough in the hen house. I would take Betty out to get water and food several times a day. As soon as she was done with that, she would run and jump up on the stump in their yard and loudly protest being put off her nest. The stump apparently has some significance to the hens. They have all at one time or another gathered either on or around the stump. Sometimes as many as three hens at actime would stand on the stump. But, the whole time Betty was broody, no one would get on the stump but her when she was put off the nest. Finally I figured that I would try putting Betty in the time out coop/run to break her. Had tried it with her and Wanda together, but that did not work out well at all. So, in the morning when I went out to gather eggs, as I approached the hen house I called out "Miss Betty, Miss Betty, I'm coming to get you girl." And I picked her up off the nest and placed her in the time out coop. The first day I left her in for 6 hrs. Not enough time. She immediately ran to the hen house and her empty nest. The next day, same routine. "Miss Betty, Miss Betty, I'm coming to get you". This time I left her for 10 hrs in the time out coop. Hated to do it, but the next morning I go out and there is Betty in the yard! End of broodiness! Just like that! Yeah! Later in the day while I was gathering eggs, Betty wandered into the hen house. I said "Miss Betty" and that's as far as I got. She let out a scream and went flying out of the hen house! LOL She was not taking any chances on getting put back into the time out coop! Oh yeah, since Betty quit being broody, everyone has gone back to gathering on the stump. And, Wanda once again came to Betty's defence when I had an unexpected roo for a while. He was mounting Betty and Wanda jumped on his back, knocking him off her. Didn't do that for any of the other girls. She just has this special bond with Betty.
the time out/intro/broody breaking/home for the new girls mini coop and run, and the stump
the time out/intro/broody breaking/home for the new girls mini coop and run, and the stump
but I sure hope that you have been video taping your girls! What a wonderful story! And it sounds like you have a Pavlov's chicken except in reverse... is that aversion therapy???
. Will see if I can get a couple of good ones of both of them
