/ Register

I think I have a broody ... should I be concerned?

Discussion in 'Managing Your Flock' started by mamahen2011, Dec 3, 2011.

Most Liked Posts
Page 1 of 2
  1. Dec 3, 2011 #1
    mamahen2011

    mamahen2011 Chillin' With My Peeps

    117
    0
    99
    Apr 14, 2011
    Michigan
    I believe one of my girls is broody ... at least I THINK that's the case. About a week or so ago she started sitting on any egg laid in the box, didn't matter if it was hers or not. And she was ALWAYS in the box. She wouldn't want to leave for the other girls to get in and lay so I put in a second box. Well, she takes over any egg laid in the boxes and sits on them making little cooing noises. When I go in to check for eggs it's getting harder and harder to move her from the nest ... at first I could just bump her a little and she'd get up and relinquish any eggs, a few days ago I could literally turn her up on her front end to try to check for eggs. She doesn't want to move and is very "talkative" about it when she IS moved. She does get up and eat and drink but then back in the box she goes. She even sits in the box if there are no eggs, just as if there was.

    Now, my question, should I be concerned?

    Is it unhealthy for her to be acting this way since she's not hatching eggs?

    Also, will she come out of this on her own or do I need to do anything to break her of this?
     
  3. Dec 3, 2011 #2
    Judy

    Judy Moderator Staff Member

    34,028
    457
    448
    Feb 5, 2009
    South Georgia
    She's broody, it's natural, and she will eventually come out of it. Broodies do tend to lose some weight. Occasionally one will not get up and eat at all, but that's very unusual. You can try to break her if you wish. The classic method is to put her in a wire cage that's raised up so that air circulates under her, with food and water of course, but no nesting material, for several days. I tried this once for 4 days and it didn't break her. Now I just let mine sit it out, but I do lift them out of the nest and prod them so they get up and move around, eat and drink, at least twice a day. They don't seem to lose weight this way. Usually they give up in 3 or 4 weeks, but this varies. I also put a little extra Sevin in the net because broodies seem to be more prone to get infested with lice and mites.
     
  5. Dec 3, 2011 #3
    darkmatter

    darkmatter Chillin' With My Peeps

    2,181
    35
    191
    Jul 10, 2009
    What's wrong with broody:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  7. Dec 3, 2011 #4
    foxypoproxy

    foxypoproxy Chillin' With My Peeps

    828
    6
    111
    Aug 2, 2011
    Madison, CT
    Quote:[​IMG]
     
  9. Dec 3, 2011 #5
    mamahen2011

    mamahen2011 Chillin' With My Peeps

    117
    0
    99
    Apr 14, 2011
    Michigan
    Very cute pics ...

    No rooster means no cute fuzzies ... so no use in letting her set on eggs [​IMG] I do collect throughout the day so I prod her to get up and let me check. That's usually when she gets up and eats/drinks, stretches her legs [​IMG] So I'll just leave her be. [​IMG]
     
  11. Dec 3, 2011 #6
    gryeyes

    gryeyes Covered in Pet Hair & Feathers

    15,507
    296
    358
    Sep 22, 2009
    My slice of heaven in Somerset, CA
    Ahh, find her some fertile eggs!
    [​IMG]
     
  13. Dec 4, 2011 #7
    donrae

    donrae Hopelessly Addicted Premium Member

    31,452
    3,536
    538
    Jun 18, 2010
    Southern Oregon
    Does she sleep on the nest? That's my sure sign of a broody who means business. Otherwise, they're just getting my hopes up but never follow-through. I've learned not to give them eggs to hatch unless they've spent a couple nights on the nest.
     
  15. Dec 4, 2011 #8
    pgpoultry

    pgpoultry Chillin' With My Peeps

    2,291
    18
    191
    Oct 16, 2009
    Wales
    She may not snap out of it so easily.

    You may have to break her (dog crates work well) or........buy/beg/borrow some fertile eggs. Just think.....fluffy little Xmas chicks......THAT's a real Xmas present. You can guess the route I'd take in spite of having far more chickens than I need.
     
  17. Dec 4, 2011 #9
    mamahen2011

    mamahen2011 Chillin' With My Peeps

    117
    0
    99
    Apr 14, 2011
    Michigan
    I'd LOVE to give her a couple FERTILE eggs ... but no one around me I know of has a rooster, so no good eggs for setting on [​IMG]

    Anyone know anyone near Clinton Twp, MI with small breed chickens who'd lend me a couple eggs! LOL [​IMG]
     
  19. Dec 4, 2011 #10
    craz e laid e

    craz e laid e Chillin' With My Peeps

    293
    4
    93
    Oct 5, 2011
    Quote:I don't know how to attach the thread, but apparently you can hatch some grocey store eggs (look for "Fertile" on the package). Do a search for Trader Joes hatching eggs through this site and you should find several threads. Never tried it but they say it works. Or, I'd be glad to send you 1, 2, 3 or more roosters! [​IMG] Also, I bet if you went on Craigs List and put ad for fertile chicken eggs wanted, you would get responses. Good Luck. [​IMG]
     
Page 1 of 2

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by