Broody or sick?

[donrae]

Lots of birds flirt with being broody. They'll practice for several days, sometimes acting like the classic broody, sometimes they could not care less about those eggs. That's why I always wait and make sure they're dedicated before I set eggs under them. To me, dedicated is at least two nights in a row on the nest, plus all day.

If you're wanting her to be broody, you can bait the nest and see if that helps. I mark eggs and place a decent sized clutch in the nest (usually 6 or so). You can use fake eggs, real eggs, whatever floats your boat. My personal feeling is having that clutch under them helps trigger the hormones.

If you don't want a broody, continue to collect eggs frequently. Take the fake egg from the nest. You may need to resort to a broody buster if she's truly dedicated.

 

[csaylorchickens]

If I even leave an egg over night 1 of my 4 faverolles will 99% go broody the next day, it's a curse if you don't want broody! So I have to make sure in gather eggs before dusk. If anyone wants a broody breed salmon faverolles are the ones. With that said the fake egg could trigger broodniess.

 

[Stephanie R]

Lots of birds flirt with being broody. They'll practice for several days, sometimes acting like the classic broody, sometimes they could not care less about those eggs. That's why I always wait and make sure they're dedicated before I set eggs under them. To me, dedicated is at least two nights in a row on the nest, plus all day.

If you're wanting her to be broody, you can bait the nest and see if that helps. I mark eggs and place a decent sized clutch in the nest (usually 6 or so). You can use fake eggs, real eggs, whatever floats your boat. My personal feeling is having that clutch under them helps trigger the hormones.

If you don't want a broody, continue to collect eggs frequently. Take the fake egg from the nest. You may need to resort to a broody buster if she's truly dedicated.

Yeah, I don't want her broody. There is no rooster and I have no plans to raise any chicks.

She is sitting in the sun on the shed porch right now along with the others. It will be interesting to see if she sits in the nest box tonight. The fake egg is gone. But it's kind of interesting because it's been in that nest box for a couple of weeks. During that time she's laid her own eggs in both boxes. She never lingers. She pops the egg out and she's off the nest.

Every day something interesting and/or entertaining happens. Gotta love chickens.

 

[csaylorchickens]

If you don't want a broody gotta get a broody breaker. I used a galvanized dog cage without the tray so it's just the 1/4 inch wire all around and set it on blocks to get the air underneath the hen it he's so they can sit and incubate and get warm. Takes 3 full days and then they abandon the broody desire.

 

[Stephanie R]

If you don't want a broody gotta get a broody breaker. I used a galvanized dog cage without the tray so it's just the 1/4 inch wire all around and set it on blocks to get the air underneath the hen it he's so they can sit and incubate and get warm. Takes 3 full days and then they abandon the broody desire.

She has been out free ranging all day and hasn't returned to the nest box, so maybe it was a practice as donrea suggested. She's been on my lap a couple of times and has acting normally. However, when I walked past her a while ago, she puffed up and fanned out her tail. So, who knows.

 

[Haulinbass02]

Not to hijack but I've got one that has been acting very broody as well. Looks fine but has been living in one nesting box pretty much all day except the occasional up to eat and water. After several days of this input a clutch of 6 eggs under her and the next day she allowed the other hens to lay in that box and she sat in another one! She will go back and forth so those eggs are pretty much done for I think. Not sure what her deal is though?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stephanie R]

Well, crap. Olive was in the nest box at roosting time, so I moved her out and blocked off the box. She somehow managed to wedge herself past the block and was in the nest box this morning. No eggs. Strange little bird. I'm not going to worry too much about it since she is eating and drinking and bathing and spending the bulk of the day outside foraging.

Update: Well, she didn't come out of the box for treats, which she lives for, and so I removed her from the nest box. She just nestled in wherever I put her, so she is now in the dog kennel. I feel terrible, poor little birdie. I hate keeping her separate from her girlfriends.

 

[Stephanie R]

Lots of birds flirt with being broody. They'll practice for several days, sometimes acting like the classic broody, sometimes they could not care less about those eggs. That's why I always wait and make sure they're dedicated before I set eggs under them. To me, dedicated is at least two nights in a row on the nest, plus all day.

If you're wanting her to be broody, you can bait the nest and see if that helps. I mark eggs and place a decent sized clutch in the nest (usually 6 or so). You can use fake eggs, real eggs, whatever floats your boat. My personal feeling is having that clutch under them helps trigger the hormones.

If you don't want a broody, continue to collect eggs frequently. Take the fake egg from the nest. You may need to resort to a broody buster if she's truly dedicated.

I've resorted to a broody buster, but I have a question. Should I not let her out of it at all for a couple of days? My kennel is pretty big. Big enough that she can stand up tall and walk around, but she is a wing flapper and it doesn't really allow that much room.

I did let her out for a few minutes while I was sitting there and she seemed fine, although a bit flustered, but after about 10 minutes she headed straight for the nest box, so back in the kennel she went.

 

[donrae]

That's up to you. If you keep her confined, preferably off the ground for a few days, it will break her broodiness faster, and return her to production that much faster. If you're not that concerned with it, and you're home to watch her, you can keep an eye on her and go out and boost her off the nest as often as needed. This way may take longer to break her, but it's up to you if that's a concern.

 

[Stephanie R]

That's up to you. If you keep her confined, preferably off the ground for a few days, it will break her broodiness faster, and return her to production that much faster. If you're not that concerned with it, and you're home to watch her, you can keep an eye on her and go out and boost her off the nest as often as needed. This way may take longer to break her, but it's up to you if that's a concern.

She is confined, raised off the ground about four inches. I let her out this morning and it wasn't five minutes before she was headed back to the nest box.

Thanks for your response.