Broody Starvation?

[lizO]

I've got a silkie who i let go broody last week when i was out of town. she's very maternal; she came to me with one chick, maybe 7 weeks old (?) and still tucks the chick under her. My housesitter isn't very chicken-savvy, but she told me that the hen was sitting on eggs. Food and water are within 2 feet of her. Nevertheless, she doesn't appear to have left the nest for so long that should can barely stand. Early yesterday i offered her water right in front of her nose and she sipped a little and took a bit of food. Last night she either wouldn't or couldn't, so i proceeded to 'force feed' her water and feed mixed with milk to make it soft. she didn't WANT it but she swallowed it. So i'm going to keep doing this as often as i can.

Oh, I've got chicks coming in 3 days, that's why. I thought she'd enjoy it again, seeing how she's SO maternal with her daughter. (Hoping it's a daughter).

So i don't know if it's starvation or something else. I'm also a little worried that the chick isn't eating enough, she doesn't want to leave her mother's side. She'll happily hand-eat everything.

If it's not starvation, help me figure out what it is. They never struck me as being the sharpest chickens in the nest, so I wouldn't be astonished if she's too dumb to get up and eat.

Maybe I should just take the eggs away, change plans for them, and see if she stands up and eats?

thanks!

 

[FireTigeris]

removing eggs hasn't stopped my broody yet- trim her head fluff and offer sugar water?

 

[lizO]

trim her head fluff? really? ok, going out with sugar water.
so, she will be so disturbed at having a 'bad hair day' she'll get up and stomp down to the hairdressers?

 

[LaurenM23]

Why trim the fluff??? I've never had silkies, so maybe it involves just this breed?? I'm not seeing the connection with not eating, but I'd love to learn something new!

 

[mrslb333]

Quote:

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Lol, that will make her stay in more so the other hens don't make fun off her new hairdo.

 

[LesGan]

My broody is so dedicated that I took to putting on gloves, taking her off the nest, and giving her a break. She would run outside, poop, eat and drink, take a quick dustbath and then back in to resume her position on the eggs. At times she was off the nest for an hour. Just had a 100% hatch so the time off did not seem to make a difference. I did this each day for her....and for my worry factor. Good luck.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Hmmm, that seems really strange to me. Are you sure she's broody and not sick?

 

[lizO]

no, now i think she's sick, but i'm not sure it isn't mental. i'm still having to "encourage" if not force-feed. she's with a chick and the chick seems healthy but i'm worried about her being indoors and not eating enough. I'll go look for mites tonight. only symptoms are unwillingness to leave nest or box, and lack of interest in food. not sure i can take this much longer. asked husband if he could have me committed. he said it would cost too much. argh.

 

[lizO]

really, FireTigeris--i won't laff. promise. tell me why to trim the head pouffe?

i'm going out again after dark to make sure they don't have buggies. then i thought maybe they were afraid, since it's just the 2 of 'em. so i put a mirror out there, like people do with, y'know, OTHER pet birds. minimal interest. i asked my husband to have me committed until it's all over one way or the other and then to let me out. how bad can it be?