Is my hen still broody?

[ChickenTater]

Yup...that looks to be a Brown Leghorn with a nice large white egg.
...and yes commercial lines can go broody, but it doesn't happen very often. (Funny thing is...I've had Black Sex Links go broody...3 of the 5 hens I've had of them...never any of my Leghorns though...my breeder quality Marans, I can't get off the nest.)

She should be integrating in a week or so. It takes them a bit to come out of the broody daze and to re-work back into the flock.

Personally, I wouldn't put much faith in the DE, especially internally, but do regular checks to see how parasites are going especially after a brood where they can build up rather quickly.

Pretty girls.

LofMc

Do you have any suggestions for what else to use to keep parasites away, aside from DE?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Permethrin dust or spray works very well. If you see evidence, treat each bird individually. Treat once then again in 7 to 10 days.

Also dust or spray coop.

If you want natural product, then the natural pyrethrin which is much more expensive.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Your brown leghorn is beautiful!

I also agree the DE in feed is a waste of $ and gives a false sense of security if your purpose is internal parasite control. It is actually included in many feeds already and approved by the FDA at a rate of up to 2% as an anti-caking agent. If it was effective as a wormer, the companies that use it would NOT miss the opportunity to tout it as a marketing device, IMO. On the wiki page near the bottom it shows actual studies done on cattle (instead of her say that farmers use this because they believe) with no significant results verses the control group which received NOTHING. As well it also states DE is a porous, soft rock that becomes INEFFECTIVE when wet even from morning dew. I ask then how would it make it past the gizzard where other harder rocks are waiting to grind things down and all the way into the intestines where it needs to work for worms without first getting wet? You add that it's strip mined and harmful to breath... I pass!

I'm not saying it can't help with external parasites, because it *could*. But for me the risk outweighs the benefits. I do also use permethrin WHEN needed. I don't over use it because resistance can be developed to it just like many other things. And mine is labeled as horse fly spray and was originally bought in a little trigger spray bottle to keep mosquitoes off my goats and dogs. I later discovered that it worked for so many things on chickens as well and is safe, effective and affordable. I spent less than $10 on the ready to use bottle and it has lasted more than a year with 2 goats, 3 dogs, and 60 ish chickens. Even got vet confirmation there is no evidence of current bugs despite feather damage. He said look like something was there previously. The organic versions are sold as Spinosad or elector PSP. they are much pricier and to me poison is poison whether it's organic or synthetic.

Won't surprise me if your girl goes broody again next year.

 

[ChickenTater]

UPDATE: 9-12-17

I got 5 eggs today! I even caught Becky (the recovering broody leghorn) in the box! I'm happy because she gave me an egg again finally, but also for 5 eggs in one day, which has never happened before! I feel like a proud mother.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Nice!