I think I have a crazy Girl!

[Sooner Chic-en]

Ok, how long are hens suppose to be broody without a rooster..... it's been like a mth now, and whenever I force her off the nest, the other hens torment her by chasing, she runs around squawking like a crazed hen.... is there something else wrong with her?? Sorry, I'm new at this chicken raising thing.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Are you sure she isn't running around squawking cause she's upset at being thrown off her nest? My broodies get furious when I do that. Then the others persue for whatever reason, I think it's just the dominance thing kicking in again. You know, more dominant hens putting her back in her place

Some broodies will litterally starve themselves to death over trying to sit on a clutch of eggs and others are fairly easily broken of it. Just don't let her go overboard. If she seems to be getting too thin then you need to take more drastic measures to break her of this than just putting her off the nest.

 

[Sooner Chic-en]

lol... well I never thought about it like that.... but thanks! Maybe she's not crazy after all, any suggestions on what to do with her? Since she's in the nest where all the others lay their eggs, how do I seperate her? Sorry for all the questions.

 

[LynneP]

Try and give her a little leeway. Do you have more than 1 nest available? Hens need to be relaxed and require a tad of privacy in there. It might be necessary to visit the coop a few moments later or offer another place to lay. My hen, Redwing, is always the last to lay. She talks to me as I wait ('tut-tut-tut-dwip-dwip'), and nearly every morning she gives me a drying egg, then marches off, too proud of herself!

This is Redwing leaving the nest