Broody gets pecked by old biddy

[Cebarmlds]

I have a BO she's about 7 mos. old, the last couple days she is acting broody! the old 2 1/2 yr. old is pecking at her while on the nest! I don't want a broody so I take the egg and remove her from the nest and put her outside. But I don't want her getting hurt by the older one(s). The broody is sometimes not eating much! so i'm trying to give her extras.... I've read other posts on how to stop broodiness but I will not hang her up or put her on ice. Anyone know if it's natural to have other hens pick on broodies?

 

[Judy]

I usually let broodies sit in the nest; I just take them out 2 or 3 times a day and pester them til they eat and drink, to be sure they get exercise and at least some food and drink. I've never had one get pecked by the others. If this happened to me, the pecker would get isolated from the flock for a few days or a week, the way a bully is generally handled, to shake up the pecking order and drop her place in it. I have an old unused coop, maybe 4'x8', away from the main one, so this is not difficult here. It gets some sunlight but they don't get to forage.

 

[BooBear]

Mine have never pecked the broody, but they will squeeze in the box to lay their egg whether the broody will move or not. Heck, while Rosie was being broody everyone wanted to lay their egg in her box! They even lined up for it and the girls in line would fuss up a storm if the one in the box with Rosie would not hurry up! There was even 5 other nesting spots!

Your older biddy may be trying to get the younger girl to move it so she can lay her egg. Hens all have their own personalities and ways of dealing with stuff. As long as she is not drawing blood or hurting the younger one I would not worry too much.

I gave up on trying to break broodies a while back. I just give em a few marked eggs and let em go for it. (I have some hardcore broody girls that you could stick an iceberg under em with an artic blast and they still won't budge.)

 

[Cebarmlds]

The old biddy doesn't lay anymore, heat stress this last June did her in I think, now she's in a long slow molt. Maybe she'll lay again, I hope so but not holding my breath anymore. She hasn't drawn blood from the broody but I've been there so far to protect her. I don't have another coop to put the old biddy in.