Is my Austalorp Broody?

[Hillary and friend's eggs]

Hi everyone!

I went outside today to gather eggs and my black Austalorp was sitting in the nesting box. I cme closer and as she stood up I saw 2 of her eggs, 3 of my EE's eggs, and 1 of my white leghorns eggs underneath her!

Later I looked at her and she was still sitting on the eggs and then she stood up and started turning the eggs then sat back down on them. My question is: Is she broody? I'm pretty sure she is but am new to chickens so I don't know. Also I have no roosters due to being in the suburbs, but feel so sorry for her trying to hatch infertile eggs I want to somehow get her to be able to hatch chicks. Also, she does 'the squat' for me every time I pet her. This chicken is desperate to raise chicks but how do I help her do this? Also, I would need a broody pen for her as this is my first broody. Any help or ideas?

Thanks!

______________________________________
1 BA, 1 WL, 1 EE, 1 BO, 1 RIR, 1 LB

 

[underground chickenman]

Sounds like she's broody. I had a BA go broody. When they go broody, they also stop laying. Since she is sitting on infertile eggs, you will be wasting a chicken if you let her get away with it. You can break a broody (you gotta love how that sounds) by keeping her in a broody cage. It's a small cage that is big enough to stand up in and turn around, plus room for food and water. You hang it above the ground in the coop so that the cooler air circulates up under her. It may take a few days or a week or more, but it will eventually break her broodiness. That's a thumbnail sketch, so research it on this board. It is well documented.

Another option, and the one I used, was to close up the nest boxes after the girls finished laying for the day and open them up again in the morning. Shoo her out if she gets in during its open period. For me, the prolonged period locked out of the box (mid-afternoon to the next morning) was enough to break her after about 5 days. The downside of this method is that it requires more attention than you may want to give it. It's a pain. I will probably use the broody cage if it happens again.

Good luck to you.

UGCM

 

[crosbygroup]

Hillary and friend's eggs :

Hi everyone!

I went outside today to gather eggs and my black Austalorp was sitting in the nesting box. I cme closer and as she stood up I saw 2 of her eggs, 3 of my EE's eggs, and 1 of my white leghorns eggs underneath her!

Later I looked at her and she was still sitting on the eggs and then she stood up and started turning the eggs then sat back down on them. My question is: Is she broody? I'm pretty sure she is but am new to chickens so I don't know. Also I have no roosters due to being in the suburbs, but feel so sorry for her trying to hatch infertile eggs I want to somehow get her to be able to hatch chicks. Also, she does 'the squat' for me every time I pet her. This chicken is desperate to raise chicks but how do I help her do this? Also, I would need a broody pen for her as this is my first broody. Any help or ideas?

Thanks!

______________________________________
1 BA, 1 WL, 1 EE, 1 BO, 1 RIR, 1 LB

You could go to Trader Joes and buy a dozen fertilized eggs and put them under her.​