broody chicken still lay

[poplarbird]

one of my chicken started to behave broody by plug her feather out, staying in the laying box all day, clucky, puff out her feather .... anyway she has been in the wire bottom cage for 3 days.

today very early in the morning we found an egg in the cage, so she laid. the egg cracked and we had to throw it away. We let her out but she was still doing exact same thing, and went into laying box soon after she ate and drank.

would a chicken still lay when she is obviously broody? what should i do normally in this case？

 

[sourland]

Evidently she did lay because you found the egg. I have never had a broody hen continue laying while she was setting. Sounds as if she needs to go back into the broody buster cage.

 

[Wyatt0224]

In the wild, a broody hen will lay her clutch off eggs and then brood them. She could've laid that egg so she could've hatched it.

 

[poplarbird]

yes. she's in the buster cage tho we felt very sorry for her that we can't let her hatch in our small backyard.

 

[drumstick diva]

do you have the cage elevated so cold air circulates underneath? That usually persuades them not to stay broody. You can't have any shavings on the floor, they need the bare wire floor so they can't attempt to make a nest.

 

[donrae]

One time I had a confirmed broody pop out an egg a few days after she dedicated herself to setting on the nest. It's unusual, definitely not a regular thing, but it can happen. I'd leave her in the buster, as it sounds like she's clearly still hormonal and wanting to brood.

 

[poplarbird]

yes. it's raised with 2 bricks. just food and water, no other stuff.

 

[poplarbird]

good to know that this could happen. thanks.