Is THIS Broody Behavior??

[chickachee]

I have two Golden Laced Wyandottes that seem to be going broody. They lay an egg every day or so, but I collect them. They stay on the nest anyway. They are on it when I close them in at night - usually about 8:30 or so, and are still on the nest in the morning - near as I can figure. As far as I can tell, it's just those two. I have 6 GLW's, but I still think it's the same two. When I do tip them out of the nests, one of them just plops on the floor like a pancake and when I come back later she's on the nest again. I don't want them to try to hatch the eggs, as I don't think many of the eggs are fertile as of late. I think I've got too many hens (14) for my one rooster.

I have 5 Speckled Sussex chicks that are approximately 10 days old. If I time it right at night, would I be able to slip the chicks under the hens or are the SS a bit too old to pull this off? I'm sure the little ones would be peeping like crazy too, so I don't know if that would get things riled up. Also, if this WOULD work, should I put them under the hen that has a tendency to "pancake" on the floor, or divide them between the two hens?

I'd sure like to get the babies acclimated to the group earlier rather than later, but I don't know if tensions would run a bit high when all of a sudden - PLOP - there are baby chicks in the mix. I suppose I could set the alarm and get out to the coop at the crack of dawn to see if the match up "took", but other than that, do you have any other ideas how to get the groups together - OR should I just bide my time and put the young ones in the coop when they are of a decent size??


Thanks

 

[sourland]

It does sound as if your hens are broody. The SS chicks at 10 days old are probably too old to bond to the hens. Such fostering works best with young chicks.

 

[metachick]

I have a hen (American Game) that's been broody for about a week. She will come out of her box twice a day but I never see her eat. And she waddles slowly like she is filled with eggs and is so puffed out. It is getting really hot here. We are having 100 degree days. I am worried about her staying in such close and hot quarters all day. Could she be impacted or is all of this just typical Broody Behavior? The eggs are not fertilized. I put a ping pong ball under her. I've read about building the mesh cage and all that. I don't have time to do that right now. I just want to make sure this is normal and not something that needs attention and that she will snap out of this.

 

[metachick]

Update: She has been out of her box all morning which is the longest time since she started brooding a week ago. But she just stands still and falls asleep. When she walks it's really slow like a waddle and looks effortfull. I got her to drink water. She pecks but doesn't seem to eat anything. And she normally scratches around very actively but she's totally motionless on her feet. Her comb is a little lighter color than normal. Does it take a while for broodiness to wear off? She seems really tired. It is very hot but the other 4 are running around and scratching like usual. I haven't seen any poo. I felt around for an egg but couldn't feel anything. She normally lays one a day but she hasn't laid in a week. I will try soaking her bum a little later. Any suggestions?

 

[metachick]

I don't know if anyone is following this thread except me. . .but it seems she is just broody. Once the temperature dropped a few degrees she began running around pecking all of the other chickens so she was back to normal and for once I was glad to see it. Now I just can't wait until the broodiness is over.

 

[Bill Matthews]

To metachick.......She doesn't sound anywhere normal to me....Find some way to break her up...Put her somewhere other than where she is...Anywhere....Good Luck

 

[Bill Matthews]

To Chickachee.....That will not work...Unless she hatches chicks herself she is not going to accept others...Especially the older chicks...She would be more likely to attack them than mother them...The heavy feathering of Wyandottes reduces fertility.....Fourteen is a few too many......Good Luck