broody???

[l'abeille]

I have 2 BA hens hatched last June. One has never been a good layer, but improved some in the last few weeks with the longer days I guess. Now she has pulled out a bunch of her breast fluff--there's a huge bald spot! Also, she will hang out in the nest on her or her friend's egg until I take it away. She growls at me and the little cockerel we recently put in there.

I just got chicks and thought it would be great if she could raise them. Am I right in assuming she is not to be trusted yet or should I try putting our chicks under her at night? They hatched 3/31; she's been acting like this about a week or so.

If it is a bad idea to have her raise our chicks, how should I discourage her broodiness so she'll keep laying for us?

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

I wouldn't trust her with any chicks with that attitude. As far as her broody-tude, id put on a glove and shove her out of the nestbox every chance you get and remove any eggs.

 

[cybercat]

l'abeille :

I have 2 BA hens hatched last June. One has never been a good layer, but improved some in the last few weeks with the longer days I guess. Now she has pulled out a bunch of her breast fluff--there's a huge bald spot! Also, she will hang out in the nest on her or her friend's egg until I take it away. She growls at me and the little cockerel we recently put in there.

I just got chicks and thought it would be great if she could raise them. Am I right in assuming she is not to be trusted yet or should I try putting our chicks under her at night? They hatched 3/31; she's been acting like this about a week or so.

If it is a bad idea to have her raise our chicks, how should I discourage her broodiness so she'll keep laying for us?

I will shortly be taking advantage of my broody to rasie chicks. I will be doing as you say by putting them in at night. But my broody has been broody for a few weeks. Even if I remove eggs she stays in nest only moving in the morning to eat and drink. You might want to put one in with her and see how she acts. There is a chance she might turn and try to sttack it. It is not unheard of with new broodies. Since she is not hatching the eggs and she is new on the nest it will be more of a chance. If she was longer on the nest then i would say you have a better chance. But try it she how she reacts it can not hurt.​

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

The only time i have put chicks with a broody was after she already hatched her own. i put another in with her and she was fine. You might be taking a chance trying to put chicks under a broody who has never raised chicks. Being broody and sitting on eggs doesn't mean she will be a good mother.