Is my chicken broody??

[HappyClucker7]

So, three days ago I went to feed my chickens. My australorpe was laying in the nesting box. It was a little late in the day for egglaying but I didn't think much of it.

The day after she was in the nesting box again. I didn't really see her out for the entire day so I decided to watch out for her.

Yesterday She was in the nesting box again. I got worried about her because she has never acted like that so I pulled her out of the nesting box. The minute I put her on the ground she went nuts, clucking like crazy and running all around the coop with her feathers puffed up. I could really tell she was angry at me. Afetr her tantrum she let out the biggest poop I have ever seen.

I haven't seen her outside today except for a couple minutes to eat and drink.

I looked up broody chickens and it sounds like she might have gone broody but Im not sure. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

If she is broody, can anyone tell me how to properly take care of her so that the eggs she is sitting on dont rot?

I cant get any more chickens so letting her raise chicks is not an option.

Thanks in advance!

 

[MyChickenShack]

Oh man...that's how I got here a few weeks ago...so many chicken related questions that I had to join. I have 2 hens that went broody and sitting now and if all goes well, they will hatch chicks next week. Basically for mine, they would sit in the nesting box and did not want to be bothered or moved, pecking at my arm if I reached in. They had a growl like sound as if on the defense. Their tail feathers would kinda fan out as if angry with me if I reached in the box. When I did get each one out of the box and sit them down on the floor, they just sat there. They didn't jump up and run off like normal. They just wanted to sit. Mine are 1 month shy of being a year old and I have only had chickens just as long...so that's all I can tell you. I have 28 hens and wanted some chicks to keep my egg supply going, so I made no attempt to "break" the broody behavior but I have read that it is possible, but I will let others with actual experience comment on that...all I would have to share is what I have read. I wish you the best...my broody hens caused me to lose a couple nights worth of sleep, but all is well now. Just waiting for the chicks....

 

[HappyClucker7]

quick update. She is laying really flat in the egg box and when I reached in she puffed up her feathers and started clucking angrily.

 

[redranger209]

Yep, broody. Mines due sometime next week. Three ducks and two chicks.

 

[GayEgg]

Sounds just like our Australorp when she was broody. We think she is getting ready to go broody again, by the way.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Best way to break a brooding hen is to put her in a cage for three days. No nesting material, raised off ground on blocks and just food and water in with her. Fastest and surest way to bust the brood.

Someone you know must have one of those fold up wire kennels. Take the tray out and if wider wire bottom turn it upside down. It's better to bust her of the brood than let her lose weight attempting to hatch non fertile eggs.

They eat and drink and poop only once a day- hence the large poo. It will take up to two weeks for her to get back into lay once broken of the hormonal brood.

 

[Mrs. K]

If you don't want chicks, it is best to break them.

But having them raise chicks is such fun!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Definitely sounds broody and since you don't want chicks, crate her as Egghead_Jr instructed. It can take longer than 3 days but you'll know when she's over it based on her behavior. If after 3 days she's still acting broody, lock her back up for another 24 hours, check her again, repeat if needed.

Depending on how long the eggs she's been sitting on have been there, and if they're fertile, you can probably still eat them.

 

[PennyM]

I just broke our Speckled Sussex from being broody, took about three days. I thought it would be longer because I let it go on for almost a week. I got some great advice from here from some great people!

 

[aart]

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.