Is my chicken sick or brooding?

[SandraL]

Last week I caught my Rhode Island Sex-Link hen, Tammy, brooding an egg she had laid. I removed the egg, but she continues to lay in the nesting box brooding. I take her out of the box twice a day and put her in the yard where she does a low cluck then returns to the same box. Sometimes she will eat ravenously. She has not laid any eggs since. Does anyone out there know what I should do?

 

[sunflour]

glad you have joined us.

She sounds broody. You have two choices, let it run it's course or try a broody breaking method.

Personally I let it run its course as long as the broody one does get adequate nutrition and the hormonal surges settle down quickly.

But it seems to me most members prefer trying to break an unwanted broody experience. If that's your plan you can do a search of the forums for information on the how to do it.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join us here! Sunflour has left you some good advice but if you do want to try and break her of the broodiness here is an article ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens

Good luck and enjoy BYC

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC - you have some great advice already so I'll just say hello!

All the best
CT

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[SandraL]

Hello & thanks, to all you nice chicken loving people! I think I'll let nature take its course, as Sunflour suggested. Do you know how long this should take?

 

[SandraL]

Thanks, that's a very interesting article.

 

[drumstick diva]

If she's broody you could buy a fertile egg or two, to let her sit on and satisfy her desire to be a momma. Or she might accept a baby chick or two, from the feed store.

 

[SandraL]

Thanks for your reply! I have a large RIR rooster, so all of our eggs are fertile. Also, I have 12 other pretty aggressive hens. I'm afraid a chick or two might not survive. And that would break our (Tammy's and my) heart.