Broody? Or something else...?

[austinclarksf]

Howdy. I am concerned something might be wrong with my 8-10 month old game bird hen.

I have 9 hens in ABQ New Mexico, no roosters, not really in a position to raise chicks. I've posted about this hen before, but the issue has developed.

My game bird went broody 1 1/2 months ago. She was not laying at the time she began spending 90% of her time in the nesting box. She acts broody (puffing up, loud, etc), and is eating, dustbathing, and drinking water regularly. Feces are fine. It is my understanding that hens stop laying when they get broody, please correct me if that is wrong, as it is the root of my concern. She laid her first egg on Sunday of this past week, I knew because it was streaked with blood like her sister's first egg. She still was brooding the next day, so I dunked her body in cold water for 10 seconds. She spent most of the afternoon outside drying off, then continued the broody behavior. She is now laying and still living in the nesting box.

My 10-12 month old barred rock cochin has now begun spending most of her time in a nesting box. Unsure if she is still laying as of yet, but she may have stopped. I know cochins are prone to broodiness, but I'm wondering if a rabbit hutch should be my next step, or if there could be another issue at play here.

It was 107' F on Monday, still in the high 90's this week, but they all have access to shelter and shade, with plenty of water... worried about those girls overheating in the little coop...

 

[Judy]

They do stop laying when they go broody -- usually. That's the trouble, there are no absolutes.

If left to run the show themselves, they should collect a clutch of eggs, then stop laying and set on these til they hatch, or til some hatch, anyway. Of course, that means a staggered hatch, which means she will probably abandon the unhatched ones after some have hatched and she decides it's time to take them out to find food. Since your girl is so young, I'm wondering if the broody hormones are still "arranging themselves" and she's now in the clutch gathering stage.

I can understand your concern about the coop and the heat. Heat is a worry for many of us. One of the things that sometimes works to break broodiness is to move them. If the coop is too hot in the heat of day for them, maybe you can close it off and make them stay where there is shade, etc., if you have a way to do this safely. I hope you sort this out for your girls, and that everyting works out!

 

[Traucins]

We give our girls cold watermelon on hot days to hydrate and avoid heat stroke. They love it and it seems to perk them up. A fan may help too. It also helps keep gnats away.