Broody hen with runny poo?

[shelleyd2008]

I am not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes. I have a broody hen, that is due to hatch any day. I put her in a cage on Friday, and she didn't come off at all until yesterday (Monday). She came off again today, and i noticed that her poo today was very runny. It was normal colored, but runny. I know they usually have a big glob when they are broody, so this seems strange to me. Any suggestions?

 

[nnbreeder]

Many times stress will make for runny poop, is this the first she has been caged?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Yes, since I have had her. It is also the first time she has been broody. She is this year's chick herself, I think I was told either January or March, the lady wasn't sure. Should I just let her out? I am worried, because I had a hen setting a few months ago, that after hatching one chick, something got her right off the nest. I don't want anything to happen to any of my girls!!

 

[nnbreeder]

Just watch her, she will adapt quickly to the new surroundings. Her safety is a must. Your lucky I usually don't find my broodies till they bring up a clutch.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Mine have been good so far. My oldest hen tried to hide her nest this last time (guess cause she lost her eggs twice already, she figured she could do it better herself) but I found them. She now has 18 chicks, 5 of her own, and 13 she adopted. Most of my hens are this year's chicks, so this is the first time they have gone broody. Don't know if they would still be called pullets? Anyway, there are 4 total, 3 brooding, and one with chicks. I have another pullet that just started laying, and she also lays in the nests. I think my game hen is hiding hers though. I got about 7 eggs from her in the nest, and now nothing. I am building tractors for all my broody hens, plus extra babies that I have bought, ut I haven't gotten hers done yet. Will it make her ill if she has runny poo for long?

 

[nnbreeder]

It shouldn't bother her, just put her food and water far enough away so that she can not reach it so she has to get up and excercise some.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I checked her eggs yesterday, and they were clean, didn't see any poo in the cage until yesterday, which was normal, then today that was runny. If she is stressed, could it make her lose her broodiness? This is her first time after all. And her food and water is to far to reach unless she gets off the nest. So I think she sat the nest for 4 days without anything!

 

[nnbreeder]

I find that they never will get off when being watched and it seems once they feel/hear the chicks in the shell they will stick tight on the nest. My usual broodies can be checked easily. If they have chicks starting to hatch they bite, if they just growl and give protest no chicks yet. But mine are used to being handled.
Usually this late in the game it would take an awful shock to get her to abandon the nest. If she is out of broody stock then that is a trait that is passed on.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I don't really know much about her. She is an araucana, or so I was told. Idk if there is a bantam version? Or if they are just smaller? When she first started setting, she would screech at you if you got too close. She still does sometimes, but she will definitely peck you if you try to get her eggs, but she has done that from the beginning. Here is a pic of her just for the heck of it!

Earlier when she was off the nest, she really wanted to be let out of the cage, but I was worried that she wouldn't go back on, or forget where they were. Like I said, she is due to hatch in a few days, and I would let my last broody out of the pen everyday. The last time I let her out, she had one chick almost fully hatched, and at least one more pipped. But she is young also.

 

[nnbreeder]

Judging by her comb she is a mix but still a good looking girl. Friendly too, if I were to get that close to mine every feather would be standing on end!