Is She Broody or Crazy?

[Aunt Angus]

Here is Poppy, my 8-month-old pullet. She stayed there all yesterday and tonight. Considering seeing if she will adopt chicks after a few weeks.

(Hope I added the video correctly)

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Video didn't work...

Broody's ARE crazy!

I won't let a still growing pullet sit... they aren't as well prepared as teenagers mentally or physically as they will be as hens... I break ALL pullets and plan an adoption for their NEXT time because it WILL be a repeated performance!

Otherwise... I usually adopt after they sat about two weeks with plenty of success! Less chance of having to deal with roosters and I get to try new breeds in my flock.

Using flock raiser or starter feed for the whole flock is OK. Using layer for chick is NOT. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

(Hope I added the video correctly)

Video worked that time! lol

She certainly sounds and acts like a crazy broody!

If you are gonna break her... sooner is better than later.

I like the name Poppy. I have a Daisy May dog and a Petunia pig. Poppy would fit right in.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Video worked that time! lol

She certainly sounds and acts like a crazy broody!

If you are gonna break her... sooner is better than later.

I like the name Poppy. I have a Daisy May dog and a Petunia pig. Poppy would fit right in.

I'm going to break her. It makes sense that since she's still so young, I'd be better off waiting until next time around - LOL!

My other pullets are Iris, Zinnia, and Aster. The three I ordered for June will be flowers, too.

 

[shessowitte]

Broody for sure. There’s no mistaking that indignant screech! I had a white Cochin who went broody at about 9 months, and she hatched out a single egg. She was an excellent mother. At about one year, and a week before I received my new chicks this year, she and the other white Cochin went broody. At the three week mark, the last viable egg broke and they still wanted to set. I moved them into the tiny coop along with the now three week old chicks, hoping against hope they might adopt one another. The first day, the Cochin who had never hatched any (Beatrice) joined the little chicks and adopted them immediately. The former mommy joined her the next day. I kept them in the small coop for a week and then opened the door for a field trip. The mommies protected them and moved them into the big coop within a couple of days. I’m not trying to disagree with others who don’t recommend pullets being allowed to brood, but in my case it has worked out very well. It may just be the breed, but these Cochins are fabulous moms.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I’m not trying to disagree with others who don’t recommend pullets being allowed to brood, but in my case it has worked out very well.

It can be done, and is successfully all the time.

It's great that you shared your experience. That's why we are here is to share with and learn from each other.

We may have different goals or situations and that's okay. No one way is ALWAYS right.

I would never suggest trying to adopt 3 week old chicks, but your integration sounds like it went well. You just never really do know, I guess until ya try...

Thanks for sharing!

 

[BlueBaby]

You could always put some of those fake egg's for her, and see if she tries to hatch those. That way you will know if she is really going broody. It's not unheard of for a pullet under the age of 1 year to go broody and hatch egg's, or take in newly hatched chick's when the time is right. One of our Arizona member's had a hen go broody in the middle of our hot desert summer last year. She put ice pack's under the broody to try to break her, so the broody tried to hatch the ice pack's!

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

Definitely sounds like she's broody. Good luck either way!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Well, I just got home from work, and I took her off the nest, and there were 6 eggs under her. I put fake eggs there for now. It's almost dark here, so I will move her to the crate tomorrow.

She's awfully skinny, and her comb's so pale. Should I be doing anything for her?

 

[Acre4Me]

Yup! Broody!

Our BA is just over a year old. She has gone broody at 8 months, 10 months, and 12 months.

She sat for about 3 weeks the first time (at 8 months old), so we gave her 7 chicks to adopt and raise. The chicks were 5 days old, and we gave them to her in the dark. All went well...she did a great job and was back to being a regular chicken after raising chicks for 6 weeks (but laid an egg at 4 weeks post adoption, so motherhood hormones were waning).


She tried to go broody at 10 months, but she got out of it about a week later.


She is currently raising a second batch of chicks (adopted at 1 day old). She had been broody for about 2.5 weeks when we gave her chicks. They are 6 weeks old, and she is still mothering and protecting them, but seems to have begun to lessen slightly. She has not laid an egg yet, but assume one will be produced in the next week or so. She is a very good broody!