Broody hen or something else wrong?

[5crazies]

have you tried putting an egg in front of her and seeing what she does. IF she reaches for the egg and tucks it under her that would be the THIRD sign she is broody.

Personally it sounds and reads to me a like a broody.

I have not tried this. We do not have a rooster so all of our eggs are infertile. Should I try it anyway? How long will they sit on an egg that will never hatch?

 

[5crazies]

Almost all of my girls will do that with an egg if they are on the nest, and they are not broody. To OP: If she is staying glued to that spot overnight, it's now decision time: break her, or give her some fertile eggs in a safe place to hatch. The longer you let her continue with her broodiness, the more her physical condition will deteriorate, and the stronger her broody hormones will get.

I would like to break it. I’ve read to remove the eggs and keep them out of the nesting boxes but she is already sitting on a bare surface with no eggs. Silly girl.

 

[lazy gardener]

She needs a cage that allows her to maybe perch, but does not have any bedding in it, nor even a solid floor in it. I broke a hen in less than a week by putting her in a tractor every day, and letting her go back to the coop to roost at night. Worked like a charm.

 

[Molpet]

I have not tried this. We do not have a rooster so all of our eggs are infertile. Should I try it anyway? How long will they sit on an egg that will never hatch?

some will sit for months and months.. they lose a lot of weight, attract mites and lice, so it is not healthy to sit for months.. if you are near Joliet IL I could give you some fertile eggs

 

[venymae]

If you move her to a more "broody appropriate" place with eggs will she stay put?

 

[5crazies]

some will sit for months and months.. they lose a lot of weight, attract mites and lice, so it is not healthy to sit for months.. if you are near Joliet IL I could give you some fertile eggs

Oh my! I had no idea they might do this! I am in McHenry County. I think I’d rather break it than encourage it though. Thank you so much for your offer!

 

[5crazies]

She’s been out of the coop eating and dusting for a few hours now. This is a good sign, right? She still looks puffy as she’s walking around though.

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

Hi all,

So sorry to jump in on someone else's thread. I was hoping @azygous and @lazy gardener could weigh in on my broody questions. I just started a new thread in the egg laying and behavior thread.

 

[aart]

Hi all,

So sorry to jump in on someone else's thread. I was hoping @azygous and @lazy gardener could weigh in on my broody questions. I just started a new thread in the egg laying and behavior thread.

Then why not tag them in your thread?
It would be much more effective and much less .......

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

hmmm.. well, that is a good idea! I'm still figuring out this platform. I didn't know it would reach them if I did it that way !