Ever Have A Hen SO Broody That...

[NorthernHomestead]

...she hangs out in the yard all day with 2 month old "chicks" and stops laying eggs?

She was broody when I was collecting eggs around Christmas AND in February. When We put the first batch of chicks in an outside coop she was still laying eggs, but gradually broke away from her posse of chickens to spend time with the new group. We put the second group out in the same coop (it's larger) a month later and that hen just stopped laying completely. She is only about a year old. Do hens adopt older "chicks" and just stop laying eggs to raise them?

She seems happier. There are about 50 new chickens altogether, but she's eager to meet up with the other coop when the electric doors open in the morning and she still goes to bed at night with the other chickens from her original coop.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is she a bottom hen on the pecking order? I've had hens adopt chicks that were older, but generally they are clucking like a broody hen, and trying to feed them. If she's lower on the pecking order she may be hanging with them because they are non threatening, and are below her on the pecking order. It's not unusual for many breeds to take breaks from laying throughout the season.

 

[NorthernHomestead]

Is she a bottom hen on the pecking order? I've had hens adopt chicks that were older, but generally they are clucking like a broody hen, and trying to feed them. If she's lower on the pecking order she may be hanging with them because they are non threatening, and are below her on the pecking order. It's not unusual for many breeds to take breaks from laying throughout the season.

She isn't at the top. She's going to be disappointed very soon because the first hatch of new chicks are getting to "that" age where the boys are getting too friendly and need to be weeded down.