Broody??

[Tracy L E]

She's 10 months old, still no comb or waddle. Has gone broody 4 times now and has been in the cage for 7 days. She still runs to the nest box as soon as I release her. She gets picked on by at least 7 of the other 14 chickens. They were all raised together. I'm at a loss...

 

[azygous]

Does the cage have cozy bedding? Do you let her out of the cage to sleep in the coop at night with the others? Do you let her out of the cage during the day for extended periods so she can do whatever she wants?

All of the above are common mistakes people make trying to break a broody. Unless the broody is confined day and night to a cage with no bedding and an open mesh bottom cage and not allowed out of it unless strictly watched to prevent her from sitting in the dirt or running into a nest box, it will take forever to break her.

Air must be allowed to constantly circulate under the broody to cool her hormones down. The cage must be elevated to provide for the flow of air under her. She must not be allowed to find a solid surface to sit on or her hormones will not abate.

 

[aart]

She gets picked on by at least 7 of the other 14 chickens.

Wonders if she's actually broody or hiding from the bullies.
Doubtful if she's never laid(I'm assuming she hasn't) that she would go broody.

Here's my go-to signs of a broody:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?

If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

 

[Tracy L E]

Does the cage have cozy bedding? Do you let her out of the cage to sleep in the coop at night with the others? Do you let her out of the cage during the day for extended periods so she can do whatever she wants?

All of the above are common mistakes people make trying to break a broody. Unless the broody is confined day and night to a cage with no bedding and an open mesh bottom cage and not allowed out of it unless strictly watched to prevent her from sitting in the dirt or running into a nest box, it will take forever to break her.

Air must be allowed to constantly circulate under the broody to cool her hormones down. The cage must be elevated to provide for the flow of air under her. She must not be allowed to find a solid surface to sit on or her hormones will not abate.

Thank you! I let her in the coop at night. I'll stop that. Any idea why she still has no comb?

 

[aart]

I'm still worried over why she doesn't have a comb or waddle... she's 10 months old.

How long has it been since she's laid?
Bright red comb and wattle are usually indicative of whether a bird is laying or not.

I'm going to have to figure out a way to get a cage inside the coop for night time I guess.

Can you put the crate in another place at night...garage, shed, etc?

sits on the ground.

Best to have it up off the ground so she can't keep her belly 'broody warm'.

 

[azygous]

Breed and mixture of breeds can determine how prominent a comb will be and Easter Eggers do not have wattles at all. If your little hen has no comb or just a tiny inconspicuous one, she may be an EE.

 

[Tracy L E]

How long has it been since she's laid?
Bright red comb and wattle are usually indicative of whether a bird is laying or not.


Can you put the crate in another place at night...garage, shed, etc?


Best to have it up off the ground so she can't keep her belly 'broody warm'.
View attachment 2622907

It's been 7 days since she laid. Her comb and waddle are barely visible. Unusual for a 10 month old?? I'll try to find a spot for a cage, maybe the barn, I was just worried about predators, or her being even more separated from the rest of the chickens... she already gets picked on. Thanks so much for all the great info!

 

[aart]

or her being even more separated from the rest of the chickens... she already gets picked on.

Keep her with the flock during the day...do you have a secure run?

 

[Tracy L E]

Wonders if she's actually broody or hiding from the bullies.
Doubtful if she's never laid(I'm assuming she hasn't) that she would go broody.

Here's my go-to signs of a broody:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?

If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

She has laid. She's the smallest, and does sit on the nest all night. I keep her in a cage all day but it has an open bottom, sits on the ground. I'm going to have to figure out a way to get a cage inside the coop for night time I guess.

 

[Tracy L E]

Wonders if she's actually broody or hiding from the bullies.
Doubtful if she's never laid(I'm assuming she hasn't) that she would go broody.

Here's my go-to signs of a broody:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?

If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

I'm still worried over why she doesn't have a comb or waddle... she's 10 months old.