HELP>>>> Banty wont leave nesting spot

[jackson68]

Hello,



I have 2 bantys Lucy and Ethel both female and have had them for pets for about 5 years now. They layed eggs on a fairly consistent basis up until they were about three years old. They now lay eggs but few and far between. I am hoping you can help me in figuring out what is wrong with the smaller of the two.

For one week now she has not wanted to come out of her nesting spot. I checked to see if she had laid an egg but not a one to be found. She ruffles her feathers when she sees me and makes like a squeak/chirp and gargling sound..sorry its quite hard to explain.


I tipped her upsided down to see if perhaps her backend might be plugged to show sign of being eggbound but I didnt see anything like what I have been reading to suggest as such. She did have quite a bit of waste on her back end and I was able to remove all of it. I read in a forum to soak the back end in a tub of warm water and that might be able to help if she is having problems laying an egg.


I am quite worried as I will be leaving on vacation soon..... The only way I can get her to eat or drink is to physically pick her up from her nesting spot!!!!! Any ideas out there? I would be forever grateful. I truly love my girls and am so worried. Thank you all in advance for your ideas/suggestions.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

She sounds 'broody' ... meaning she is hoping to set some eggs and hatch. Hens stop laying when they are broody. My banties nearly die before they give it up, so I give them some eggs and let them hatch.

Generally consistent egg laying reaches it's peak by two - three years and then declines.

 

[Judy]

I hope you have someone who can make her eat and drink at least once a day, preferably more, while you are gone. They always lose weight when setting eggs and can starve to death without intervention.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Sounds broody to me too. Wait another week or so and get her a couple of day-old chicks. I wouldn't worry about her not eating or drinking, she is most likely getting off when you aren't looking. They only come off once or twice a day.

I never make my birds eat and drink, they do it all on their own. Just give her some babies so she doesn't have to sit 3 more weeks and she should be fine.

Oh, just put a golf ball, or other 'nest egg' under her to keep her on the nest