Isn't she a little young to go broody?

[Kathleen1115]

My EE, Blanche, is 25 weeks old and has been laying for six weeks and lays every day. She got in a box yesterday around 3, didn't lay but sat on the golf balls that we keep in the boxes and was still in there this morning, growling at everyone who came near her. I took her off the nest (and took out the golf balls) and locked her out and she immediately ate (puffing her self up the whole time and being mean to any of the other girls who came near her, and is trying to get back into the hen house -- so typical broody behavior. Isn't she a little young for this to happen?

Oh, and one other question -- when she pooped, it was watery and stinky and there was no poop in the box she was nesting in. But no other signs of being sick.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

She's a little young, but it does happen. Get ALOT of eggs under her, quick!

 

[spiritdance]

The watery poo would most likely be from not eating in a while. She's dedicating her love and energies to her little golf ball babies!

 

[Kim_NC]

A couple years ago, I had a BR pullet that went broody at about that same age. I gave her chicks after 3 weeks....she raised them successfully.

 

[Judy]

My last broody had only been laying a few weeks when she went broody. I collected eggs for a few days and set them under her. She was a great broody and mama. She was a mutt.

 

[Kathleen1115]

Thanks all -- we weren't planning on letting her have chicks, so for now we're just going to have to try and break it. We're going to try the ice bath later today. If we can't break her pretty quickly I think we're just going to have to let her sit and kick her out periodically to eat and drink since we aren't home during the day. The other four girls have all just gotten into their laying routine and I don't want to restrict access to the nesting boxes. Boy -- I really didn't think I was going to ahve to deal with this so soon!!

 

[Lisa202]

my EE went broody at 18 weeks, just 2 weeks after she started laying. I was told that she might quit, being she's so young, but she's still sitting there 16 days later. She kept taking the others' eggs, and I kept taking them away from her and moving her out of the nest box, but after a couple days of doing that, I felt bad and gave her 2 eggs. So she's been sitting on these 2 eggs for 14 days now.

I really didn't think anything would come of them, but I candled them this weekend and there's a big moving blob in one of them, so now I'm all excited! It should hatch next Monday.

 

[Pinky]

I was just thinking the same thing about my young hen. She's been sitting on her nest and walking around all puffed up. I didn't want a broody this early

 

[Kathleen1115]

We don't have a rooster -- not allowed in city limits -- so we'd have to get some fertilized eggs from somewhere. We have some new chicks coming in April but she should be done by then, so the timing just won't work to let her have chicks. She spent the morning throwing herself at the hen house trying to get to the nesting boxes and then finally laid an egg on ground in the run and wasn't sitting on it so maybe she'll give up easier than I thought. Right now she's walking around clucking to herself and puffing up when anyone comes near her -- she seems to be mumbling under her breath about how mean I am and much she hates me.

 

[Pinky]

If you can't have a rooster then maybe you should get some chicks you know are hens. When hatching eggs, more than likely you will get at least 1 rooster.