Is She Broody or Crazy?

[Col1948]

Well last evening my brooder went in the coop and straight in the nest, I placed her on the roost about 5-6 times, she just kept jumping down to go in the nest.
By this time the other girls had gone in the coop and on the roost, so last time I placed her again on the roost with the other girls and locked up.
This morning she was still there, the other girls came out and went about their business but she stayed on the roost, after around 20 minutes she came out and started feeding and went pecking in the garden, but after around 25 minutes she went back in the nest again.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Well last evening my brooder went in the coop and straight in the nest, I placed her on the roost about 5-6 times, she just kept jumping down to go in the nest.
By this time the other girls had gone in the coop and on the roost, so last time I placed her again on the roost with the other girls and locked up.
This morning she was still there, the other girls came out and went about their business but she stayed on the roost, after around 20 minutes she came out and started feeding and went pecking in the garden, but after around 25 minutes she went back in the nest again.

That's exactly what mine does. I am going to see how serious she is. I decided I'm going to try getting her to adopt. 21 days falls on the Monday of my spring break. Timing could not really be better, and I don't know that timing will ever be that good again. There is a reputable feed store near me that gets their chicks from Meyers with delivery of new day-olds every Tuesday. If she's still serious about it, I'll give it a go: wait until late at night, take an egg, add a chick. If it doesn't go well, I can take over - no problem.

 

[Col1948]

I've thought about the same, what troubles me is with chicks, I may end up knowing my luck with cockerels and I don't want them because of neighbours.

I just dug up some ground in my garden and my other hens were all round me scratching away in the soil, so I went and got the broody from the nest and took her to the flock.
She shook her feathers and after a few seconds joined in, I know for a fact she will return to the nest but I didn't want her to miss out on may be a few bugs and worms.

 

[aart]

That's exactly what mine does. I am going to see how serious she is. I decided I'm going to try getting her to adopt. 21 days falls on the Monday of my spring break. Timing could not really be better, and I don't know that timing will ever be that good again. There is a reputable feed store near me that gets their chicks from Meyers with delivery of new day-olds every Tuesday. If she's still serious about it, I'll give it a go: wait until late at night, take an egg, add a chick. If it doesn't go well, I can take over - no problem.

Great! So the time is 'right'!
Will you move her soon to your broody area start her 'containment'?

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've thought about the same, what troubles me is with chicks, I may end up knowing my luck with cockerels

That's why I'm going togo with sex-links or autosex breeds. I have the same worry!

Great! So the time is 'right'!
Will you move her soon to your broody area start her 'containment'?

Working on it right now. I'm still transitioning to new nesting boxes, so this really is good timing. My old boxes are plastic file crates. I have them held in to the coop with makeshift clips. I just took down the whole thing - Poppy still inside. It's in the isolation pen. I put a dish of food that I'm sure she'll make a mess of. I need to get something better. I made a small waterer out of a small food container and a vertical nipple. It turned out well and will prevent mess. I'm finishing the new nesting boxes now. All should be squared away this afternoon.

Wish me (and Poppy) good luck!

 

[Col1948]

If you have a problem making new nesting boxes, a while ago I just used cardboard boxes I got from the supermarket, they got used no problem, plus easy to get rid of if they get damaged.
I still have as a standby lol.

 

[Col1948]

Out of curiosity, if a broody is left and not had eggs to hatch or chicks introduced, what happens next, do they eventually go off the brood and go back to normal?

 

[aart]

Out of curiosity, if a broody is left and not had eggs to hatch or chicks introduced, what happens next, do they eventually go off the brood and go back to normal?

Maybe.....but some will sit for months, not healthy...IMO it's best to break them if you not going to give them eggs or chicks.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Aaaaaand there are two hawks in the Eucalyptus tree RIGHT NOW watching my yard. I scooped up my girls and locked them in the run.

So now I'm wondering if this is really a good time to get chicks. It's like Mother Nature is screwing with me more than usual.

 

[aart]

So now I'm wondering if this is really a good time to get chicks.

It's a good time to be sure your run is 'chick secure'.