is she getting broody* Please let me know what you think!!!

[ladrholman]

I have a roughly 7 month old columbian rock hen that has been laying for at least a month or more. The last four nights she spent in the laying box after she lays her egg. I have been removing the eggs from under her (sometimes some from other chickens too). Even after I remove the egg she remains. Each morning she comes out and goes about the day. She will go back in occasionally during the day...She gets very upset and "protective" when I take the egg away. I am only 5 months into raising chickens so I am new... is this signs of being broody or since it has been getting cooler is she only there as an alternative to the perches?? I don't want chicks at this time of year... getting cold. Will she get past this? If she will be broody in the spring that would be great. She has had a bit of a runny nose too.... but does not seem to be bothering her. Any ideas???

 

[chicmom]

She might very well be broody. If she only gets up to go poo and eat quickly, then scurries back inside, then I would say, yes she is broody.

Now, as far as the runny nose goes, I would definitely keep an eye on that. If she gets more symptoms, like goopy sounding breathing, or puffiness around the eyes, you might want to separate her from the flock.

 

[ladrholman]

No she might be gone for most of the day.... but I have removed the egg.... after she lays she stays there for a long time... even hours during the day and then will go out for a bit and then back in to the box. Should she not get out after I remove the egg??

 

[ladrholman]

can someone help. I have read that they can neglect themselves when they get broody. Should I be trying to stop her.... isolating her. I read somewhere that dropping her temperature helps. I would be happy if this were the spring. I need help knowing if this is likely broody behavior. She sits all flattened and fluffed over her single egg. And stays even after I remove it. Will get up around in the day but always returns to her post after laying her next egg. Anyone. Thanks Chicmom.... does it really sound like it... she is only 7 months....

 

[beachchickie]

She is probably trying to go broody. It has been my experience that when they hang out in the coop after laying and don't lilke you to removve the egg they are going broody. She is young so she may be just starting to go broody. Not all of them totally neglect themselves. If you have a rooster and want to raise chicks then let her go. If not I suggest breaking broody because it slows down or stops the laying. That's just me. I have had the best result from the cold water dip. You have to get the under belly completely wet and it sometimes takes 2 dips. You must lock her out of the nest after she lays. If you can't lock her out during the day at least shove her out at night.

 

[PatS]

I have all Buff orps. Many of my gals are have had a period of time where they were protective of eggs they have just laid. They flatten themselves and give a good dinosaur hiss, and maybe peck at my hand. It is when they stay on the nest all day even after you've removed the egg or when they return to the nest after you have removed them, that you have to think about breaking them.

Will get up around in the day but always returns to her post after laying her next egg.

If she leaves for most of the day, she's not broody and not neglecting herself.
If she stops laying and won't leave the nest, that's when you KNOW you've got a broody.​

 

[Tropical Chook]

Yes, it sounds like she wants to go broody. As another member has mentioned, not all hens neglect themselves. None of mine ever have, and what's more, I have one that has been broody now for more than two months. She just keeps hatching any eggs that end up in the nest, the chicks jump out and team up with one of the other bids with chicks, and the broody stays on the remaining eggs in the nest. For the last week and a half, she's been hatching an average of one fuzzy butt every two days.

The last one was yesterday, but there is still one egg in the nest. Not sure if I should end it now, or if I she give her more eggs. She seems quite happy running the production line, and I know that even these last stragglers will be abducted by one of the other girls. The one hatching them just has no luck keeping her babies. It's actually quite unfair because nearly all my hens are walking around with a squad of fuzzy butts, but the hen who has been doing all the hatching still has no kids to look after.

Hey, maybe they have an agreement with each other

 

[ladrholman]

Thanks for the help. She spent most of the day out today but when I got home at dusk she was back in the lay box all flattened out and puffed up. I lifted her out to take an egg.... but none there. She flattened herself out on the bench. I put her back in incase she was planning to lay an egg. I then got a little scratch. She quickly came for a few bites and then back into the lay box. I will be happy to have her hatch some chicks, but it is soon going to be below freezing and I am not set up to have chicks. I will keep an eye on her. If she seems to be persistent with this I will try the cold dip... will have to bring her in to do so though... will be too cold soon. thanks everyone.