My Three Chicks
Crowing
Hi. I'm a 1st time chicken mom and have raised 4 girls who are a little over a year old now. I'm dealing with broodiness for the first time with my Olive Egger! (I have no rooster or fertile eggs so need to 'break' the broodiness).
She sat in the nest box for 7 hours the day before yesterday until I realized she could be broody (she laid in the evening that day).
Then all the tell tale signs yesterday...fluffing feathers, pulled out chest feathers, walking around clucking. I managed to distract her enough...carried her around..closed up nest box (gave access to other girls as they needed for laying).
She seems to be ok this morning so far but I did notice last night she pulled out more chest feathers. She's with her sisters now being 'normal'.
My question is:
I know she would normally need to lay this morning. Should I let her in the nest box to lay? I'm afraid she'll just go back to her broody behavior if I let her! But if she needs to lay, I don't want her to not have access to the nest box!
Please tell me what to do!
She sat in the nest box for 7 hours the day before yesterday until I realized she could be broody (she laid in the evening that day).
Then all the tell tale signs yesterday...fluffing feathers, pulled out chest feathers, walking around clucking. I managed to distract her enough...carried her around..closed up nest box (gave access to other girls as they needed for laying).
She seems to be ok this morning so far but I did notice last night she pulled out more chest feathers. She's with her sisters now being 'normal'.
My question is:
I know she would normally need to lay this morning. Should I let her in the nest box to lay? I'm afraid she'll just go back to her broody behavior if I let her! But if she needs to lay, I don't want her to not have access to the nest box!
Please tell me what to do!