I have a tiny 4.5 month old bantam that is beginning to act broody. (True Araucana) I don't want her to attempt laying yet, due to her petite size and potential complications. Any suggestions / tips on discouraging her from laying so early?
SYMPTOMS: She has been showing signs of nesting for the past couple of days...I have some fake eggs in two nesting areas (for my 8.5 month old silkies, who have not yet laid.)
This morning, she had rolled two of the fake eggs next to one another, and was sitting on them.
She eventually got up and went out with the other gals for awhile, so I closed the coop door while I left to do errands. When I returned a few hours later, she wanted back in the coop. First she went to the silkie's area and turned their two fake eggs. Then, she went back to the other nest and turned those eggs too, and then proceeded to sit on them for another hour or so. ...Luckily, no signs of her laying any of her own eggs yet....
Is it possible to go prematurely broody without ever laying an egg? Any suggestions on whether or not it is possible to trick her into NOT laying so soon?
Do you think I should force her out of the coop during the day and take away the eggs? Or leave them and hope that being broody satisfies her maternal instincts for awhile and deters early laying?
Maybe I should put all of the fake eggs together in her preferred nest so she thinks Wow! Ive really laid a lot of eggs! Id better stop now....She's so small and I'm really worried about her laying at this age!!!
And as a precaution, what signs should I look for if she tries to lay an egg and runs into problems?
Thanks,
Alys
SYMPTOMS: She has been showing signs of nesting for the past couple of days...I have some fake eggs in two nesting areas (for my 8.5 month old silkies, who have not yet laid.)
This morning, she had rolled two of the fake eggs next to one another, and was sitting on them.
She eventually got up and went out with the other gals for awhile, so I closed the coop door while I left to do errands. When I returned a few hours later, she wanted back in the coop. First she went to the silkie's area and turned their two fake eggs. Then, she went back to the other nest and turned those eggs too, and then proceeded to sit on them for another hour or so. ...Luckily, no signs of her laying any of her own eggs yet....
Is it possible to go prematurely broody without ever laying an egg? Any suggestions on whether or not it is possible to trick her into NOT laying so soon?
Do you think I should force her out of the coop during the day and take away the eggs? Or leave them and hope that being broody satisfies her maternal instincts for awhile and deters early laying?
Maybe I should put all of the fake eggs together in her preferred nest so she thinks Wow! Ive really laid a lot of eggs! Id better stop now....She's so small and I'm really worried about her laying at this age!!!
And as a precaution, what signs should I look for if she tries to lay an egg and runs into problems?
Thanks,
Alys
