Egg bound or broody?

[wildheart]

I have a silkie hen and rooster (Sally & Harry). Last year December Sally hatched 10 chicks so it is almost that time of the year again.

Sally has not laid any eggs for the past 10 days and she stays on her nest all the time. If we want to pick her up she gets really upset with us. When we pick her up and put her outside to eat and drink she stays hunched for a bit and then eat - drink and scratch and go back to the nest. We placed food by her yesterday and she ate all of it. I've searched through the forum and what I've read is that she should be sick if she was egg bound and not really eating? If she is broody then why isn't she laying any eggs?

Can you please give me advice on what to do or what to check for. I know this is a stupid question but if they become broody, do they keep the eggs and lay them almost all at once or do they still lay one per day. If they lay one per day wont the first one laid hatch long before the last one laid?

 

[silky_3699]

Mine never lay when they are broody. So i think she could be broody, as long as she is fluffing up and clucking she is broody.

 

[Animalian]

they lay one a day like normal and when they think there is enough they will get broody, stop laying more and sit on them. Therefore all start getting incubated at the same time and will hatch at the same time

does she puff herself up and growl when you open the nest? Have a 'trance' like stare? That's broody.

 

[wildheart]

I did not know she will stop laying if she is broody, how on earth is she then planning on having chicks? How long does broodiness usually last? Should I close the chicken coop so she cant go to her nest? They roam free in my back garden.

Thanks for your answers.

 

[silky_3699]

Quote:
Before she starts being broody, she will lay some eggs and then sit on them and become broody. if she becomes broody and then lays an egg, sits on it, then lays an egg the next day and sits on it they hatch at very different times. then she will want to look after the first chicks she has hatched and then the rest will die and she goes off the next and looks after the chicks.

broodiness will last until her chicks are 6 weeks old. unless you dont plan on wanting her to have chicks, then who knows who long she will sit on the nest.

one way to get a hen out of its broodines is dunking her in water and keeping her away from her nest and not letting her even see it. though sometimes even if they can still see it they will go off the brood. but if you want chicks, then put some eggs under her.

Tell me what you think. Its funny, i somehow just enjoyed answering your question! haha!

 

[wildheart]

She has not laid any eggs this past 10 days, your answer makes me worry again that she might be egg bound? She does not move off the nest and if we put her outside she goes back to the nest right after eating. No I dont want chicks again, the previous 10 was enough. Can she be egg bound for such a long time, she is still eating and drinking?

 

[silky_3699]

Quote:
she has to be broody. i mean, none of mine lay when they have become broody. before, yes. when they are broody, no. if she is egg bound she would be hunched (my experience) and not eat too much but drink a lot. feel around her bottom. if it feels really hard or you can feel a lump like a egg she is egg bound. but i think she is broody...

 

[wildheart]

To me broody means she wants chicks. So how on earth is she planning on getting that right without laying eggs? I find this very funny in a cute way.

 

[silky_3699]

Quote:
she lays the eggs before she becomes broody. she like, stores them. then when she thinks she has enough, she will sit on them. often i have had hens who just go broody without other hens to help her with eggs to hatch or even have eggs herself. she just sits on the nest and be's broody.
what do you think...

 

[theoldchick]

Broody glare:

Broody walk: