Broody??? **UPDATED**

[rachelrulz]

My 1 yr. old BO hen has been in the nesting box for the whole day, not coming out, even for food and water. She plucked all her feathers and created this huge bald patch right under her stomach and in between her legs. She fluffed up all the other feathers to completely fill the nesting box (it's a 1 ft. x 1 ft. x 1 1/2 ft. nesting box). The other hens had to squish their way into the nesting box (there's two but they only use one for some reason) to lay their eggs. She hasn't laid any eggs this week.

To get her out, my brother and I had to force her out by my brother grabbing her body while I'm trying to get her feet to let go of the nesting box perch. She was seriously PO-ed. Once we got her out, she remained fluffed up like that for like 10 mins. until my mom came with food. She ate and drank A LOT, and was back in the nesting box as soon as we went inside and hasn't come out since. Is she broody???? Is she sick???

 

[downsm75]

Yep

 

[heath_elisha]

You have a broody

You have two choices....... take eggs away from her for a week to make sure she is commited- then give her some fertile eggs and let her be for 21- then you will have some chickers. Or break her broodiness..... which I still have not learned the trick too lol. We have a broody now and we are done hatching this year- so everyday, several times if able, I take her to the farthest part of the pen to some treats. The trick is to cool her belly off...... do it early in the morning when it is cool out...... eventually she will give up. Just don't let her sit on any eggs or she will be hard to break! And yes, the other ladies seem to feed her eggs all day long lol.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This thread may help if you want to break her. I like the raised cage method myself.

Break a Broody Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2176186#p2176186

It sure sounds like she is a committed broody. My personal test is that they have to spend two consecutive nights on the nest instead of roosting before I give them eggs. I've had hens act broody during the day but not be committed enough spend the nights on the nest so they don't get eggs. But with some of them you can tell from the get-go that they are going to be committed. Sounds like yours is that type.

 

[rachelrulz]

**UPDATE**

I checked her this morning and she is still there, same position and everything. I tried to give her some golf balls to sit on but she pecked them hard enough that we concluded she didn't like eggs.

. I don't really want to "break" her broodiness, but I still don't know if she's broody enough for some hatching eggs. My mom is convinced she is just molting, which fits with the not laying and the feather loss. Or is it mites, because there is only one bald patch (like I said before). The other hens are perfectly fine, and I've heard that mites are contagious. It's mid-summer and 90 degrees outside.

Is it too late for chicks? What do you guys think?

 

[lvalley]

Sounds like she is definitely broody as she has all the classic broody signs, especially the bad temper and the bald patch where they pluck out feathers to get their body warmth and humidity on the fertile eggs. This bald patch is not caused by mites. If she has been broody like this for a few days then you need to either break her using the wire cage method, or give her fertile eggs to sit on.

If you decide to let her hatch some eggs, you should remove her to a separate area if you can so she can sit without the other hens laying in her box and disturbing her. You will need to slip the eggs under her at night so she accepts them - maybe try it with some golf balls again at night and then if she sits on them for a few days, replace them with fertile eggs

Also you can give her a mite treatment as broody hens can get mites since they don't dust bathe as much and have an elevated temperature.

Just make sure she has food and water close by and leave her be if she is sitting on fertile eggs, and in 21 days you may have some chicks!

 

[rachelrulz]

**UPDATE**

Thanks for all the input!

I forced her out of the nesting box again this afternoon and she was active but remained "fluffed".

She is preening (or itching) frequently.

She "talks" nonstop.

She is taking a long dustbath as you're reading this.

She poops, eats, and drinks like a normal chicken.

Still don't have any eggs from her.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Broody hens don't lay any eggs. She won't start laying again until several weeks after you break her. (or after she is done raising her babies if she hatches chicks)

 

[rachelrulz]

****UPDATE****
I have given her the nickname Fluffernutter. Don't ask why (cause idk

)

After I forced her out of her nesting box this morning (she was squishing 2 other hens with her fluffiness) she ran outside and started gulping food and water (I've never seen a chicken eat so fast).

After that, she made a poop equal to the size of one that a small dog would make (not exaggerating

)

After that, she immediately ran to her dust bathing spot and dust bathed for at least 45 min.

Is this normal broody behavior? Is she itching (mites)?




PICTURES FROM TODAY:

My broody BO hen


file://localhost/Users/rachel/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2012/06/19/20120619-103536/P1010054.JPG

Compare to my non-broody BO hen

file://localhost/Users/rachel/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2012/06/19/20120619-103816/P1010058.JPG

Both of them

file://localhost/Users/rachel/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2012/06/19/20120619-103915/P1010053.JPG

(To view pictures, highlight and right click, then click on Go To Address)