Mabel's Broody Adventure ENDS

[speckledhen]

She has to leave the nest to poop. Has she? I'd remove her from the nest once a day if she hasn't. My first broody came close to death (she had no eggs under her and we couldn't break her up). At about 22 days, she couldnt walk and her head would twist around backward. I was advised to squeeze a vitamin E gel cap in her mouth and syringe water in. She snapped out of it, much thinner, but at least she was alive. All this was with us taking her off the nest once a day. At the end, she quit eating and drinking. Crazy hen.

 

[Kittymomma]

Sounds like Mable is going to be a super broody. The missing feathers are normal. Sometimes it takes awhile for them to get their leggs to work right, it's like when you sit scrunched up for too long and your legs go to sleep. I'd take her back off the nest and move her a little ways away. Have some nice scrambled eggs and a water source close by and give her a few minutes. Hopefull she'll give herself a shake get a bite to eat, take a drink, leave you a big stinking broody poo and wander back to her nest.

Hang in there mom!

 

[cherylcohen]

No she has not pooped yet, it just doesn't seem right. Is it possible she is so protective of the eggs, she won't leave?

She at quite a bit of the seed, some grapes and a bit of water. I have little dish of water right next to her and a pile of seed.

She's my favorite I really don't want to lose her over some eggs. when I picked her up she had a miniscule amount of yellow discharge from her butt, but no poo

 

[speckledhen]

You need to remove her from the nest and take her somewhere to poop. She can actually die if she doesn't. Some first-timers go overboard and don't know what to do.

 

[cherylcohen]

ok well so it sounds like she is the super-brood-mister then...

If it's because she's weak then I'll just keep encouraging the seed, some scrambled eggs, mealworms to get her strength back up...If that happens do you think she will leave the nest?

Can someone come hold my hand?

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
Should I take her out of the swimming pool and put her outside on some dirt?

 

[speckledhen]

No, just away from the eggs. Be warned, broody poop is the worst smelling stuff on the planet. If you dropped it on the enemy, it would end a war.

I make a habit of removing my broodies from the nest once every day if they don't seem to be coming out on their own by Day Two.

 

[Kittymomma]

I don't think the dirt matters, but I'd take her out of the pool and see what she does. It may take a couple of minutes for her to come out of her trance and try to walk so don't worry if it's not instantanous. If she doesn't get up after a few minutes pick her up a bit and try to encourage her to walk around a bit. I bet if she starts walking she'll poo soon after.

 

[cherylcohen]

Ok she continuing to eat between short naps, I can see her back moving as she breathes, maybe it's because she's so flat. I think I'm going to give the food a bit to "digest" and maybe she can get her sea legs and then I'll take her out for a bit.

 

[cherylcohen]

her favorite is grass, so I thought maybe I'd put her on it.... but it's sounds like you guys have different thoughts