Chicken spending hours in the nesting nox

MelIngles

Chirping
Dec 17, 2020
58
113
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Hello all, it’s been a while since I’ve needed some assistance. Hopefully this means I am doing an okay job.

However, one of my younger girls, Savannah born mid Jan, has been spending all day in the nesting box. She hasn’t laid yet and has to be physically removed so she will eat, drink and exercise. A few times I moved the faux egg from under her and she put it back. I have since removed the faux egg completely and she still stays. From what I’ve read, it sounds like broody behavior but she is young. A few of the other babies are starting to lay and having to lay in other spaces because Savvy won’t move. Can I get some guidance on what is happening and how to best handle it. Thanks as always (here is a fun picture of Daisy and my cool middle kid for attention)
 

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Hatched mid-Jan means she is 6 months old...which is generally full maturity.

Unless she does not rouse at all after you pick her up from the box and set her in the yard, my thought is, yep, she has gone broody already. It happens. Usually they lay a couple of eggs (which she may have unawares to you) THEN go broody. BUT some very broody types go broody as soon as they are mature. (Silkies are notorious for this...lay 1 egg then brood).

Keep picking her up off the nest to discourage brooding and monitor her for illness (lethargic even after being lifted off and won't rouse).

If she seems like she is content to brood, try putting some eggs under her and let her hatch. That is the easiest way to break constant brooders.

My thoughts.
LofMc
 
It sounds like she is definitely going broody!
You can either give her some eggs to hatch, or you can break her.
If you want to break her, you can try lifting her out of the nest box as often as possible, and putting something cold (ice pack, frozen bottle of water, etc.) underneath her.
If that doesn't work, she'll have to go to broody jail.
 
Hatched mid-Jan means she is 6 months old...which is generally full maturity.

Unless she does not rouse at all after you pick her up from the box and set her in the yard, my thought is, yep, she has gone broody already. It happens. Usually they lay a couple of eggs (which she may have unawares to you) THEN go broody. BUT some very broody types go broody as soon as they are mature. (Silkies are notorious for this...lay 1 egg then brood).

Keep picking her up off the nest to discourage brooding and monitor her for illness (lethargic even after being lifted off and won't rouse).

If she seems like she is content to brood, try putting some eggs under her and let her hatch. That is the easiest way to break constant brooders.

My thoughts.
LofMc
 

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