Hello! I have two hens that are approx. 1 year old. They are normally very friendly, roam around the yard, perch on their perching rail and have no issues with our pets. Over the last two weeks, they have not been laying as many eggs but both have now been hiding in their nest box. When I try to take them out, they try to peck me and fluff their feathers. When I put them in the backyard to roam, they beginning making loud noises, try to attack the dogs, and peck at their own feathers while still fluffing (repeatedly). I have also noticed a decrease in their fluid and food intakes. Can anyone advise on what could be the reason behind this?
Help! Chickens acting different than normal!
- Thread starter montgoka
- Start date
Yea broody hens often have thy type of behavior. You could bring them in your house, or somewhere new or far away temporarily to 'break' the broodiness
Or you could take advantage of it and hatch some eggs. We did that a couple weeks ago and now have two babies running around with mama
- Thread starter
- #5
This is our first time owning chickens so we aren’t entirely sure of what they want/need! They both have the same behaviors right now. The two hens are all the chickens we have. They haven’t been laying eggs this past week, but I put a few of the eggs I collected for them last week and put in their nest box to see how they would react and they have been sitting on them. Could their behavior just mean they are waning to begin laying again?
No they're definitely broody. I bet they think you gave them fertilized eggs
Unless you're going to put fertile eggs under them, you need to break them.
To break you need to get a wire cage, remove the tray & install a 1 x 2 welded wire bottom for the floor, no bedding, elevate the cage so air circulates under it. It may take a few days so add a feeder & waterer to the cage, you leave the wire cage in the coop so they remain part of the flock.
I had a Broody, she lost alot of weight sitting in the nest. Tried removing her, blocking the nest but I had others laying. Wire cage worked well & it did take a few days.
To break you need to get a wire cage, remove the tray & install a 1 x 2 welded wire bottom for the floor, no bedding, elevate the cage so air circulates under it. It may take a few days so add a feeder & waterer to the cage, you leave the wire cage in the coop so they remain part of the flock.
I had a Broody, she lost alot of weight sitting in the nest. Tried removing her, blocking the nest but I had others laying. Wire cage worked well & it did take a few days.
Some hens, when broody, will sit for weeks.
My friends hen was broody for a couple of months. We gave her day old chicks to raise. But I don’t recommend this unless you’re sure your hen will accept chicks this way.
It’s best to break them with a wire cage like Chicknanny13 said.
Once they’re broken they will start behaving normally and start laying eggs again.
My friends hen was broody for a couple of months. We gave her day old chicks to raise. But I don’t recommend this unless you’re sure your hen will accept chicks this way.
It’s best to break them with a wire cage like Chicknanny13 said.
Once they’re broken they will start behaving normally and start laying eggs again.
Welcome to BYC @montgoka !
Do they try to get back to the nest as soon as you take them out?
Do they flatten down on the ground when you take them out of the nest?
Are they spending the night in the nests?
Are they clucking low and continuously?
Agrees if you don't want them to hatch out some eggs, break them promptly.
You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have, or can you get, some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? Both for more chickens and she may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It's a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread
If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with feed and water.
I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
They do sound as if they could be broody.
Do they try to get back to the nest as soon as you take them out?
Do they flatten down on the ground when you take them out of the nest?
Are they spending the night in the nests?
Are they clucking low and continuously?
Agrees if you don't want them to hatch out some eggs, break them promptly.
You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have, or can you get, some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? Both for more chickens and she may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It's a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread
If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with feed and water.
I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
If you want to break a broody hen, put a bag of frozen veggies/fruit underneath her.
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