Mad chook.

[Ribh]

@ present I have 2 BAs & 2 BRs. They are all roughly the same age, get along well together, & have been laying since around September. They all lay a nice large egg with a good firm shell. I have had trouble with the BRs constantly going broody ~ & yes, have been breaking them as we don't have a rooster.

However my youngest bird now seems to be in a constant state of broodiness. If I hoy her out of the nesting box she happily joins the rest of the flock, feeding, scavenging & drinking as usual. It is so hot she almost seems grateful about being kicked out. However as soon as she returns to the coop she heads straight for the nesting box. The other hens don't seem to mind. They just squash in around her, go about their business, or even shove her off the nest if she's in their way. If I insist she's with the others in the closed run she tosses leaves & mulch around with her beak.

So because she has been broody she hasn't been laying. Then yesterday I got 4 eggs ~ the first time in ages ~ only the 4th egg was really small, about bantam size or new layer sized. Any ideas what is going on with this mad lady?

Apart from the fact I think she's crazy she is healthy & a good weight.

 

[Notaneggspurt]

She sounds like quite a character! It could very well be she was going through an extended broody phase. High summer temperatures could have also played into her taking longer to start laying again. Her eggs should go back to the size they were before she quit laying. Aside from them being smaller were there any other quality issues?

 

[Ribh]

She sounds like quite a character! It could very well be she was going through an extended broody phase. High summer temperatures could have also played into her taking longer to start laying again. Her eggs should go back to the size they were before she quit laying. Aside from them being smaller were there any other quality issues?

Aside from them being smaller were there any other quality issues? No. Frankly I think she has youngest child syndrome. Thank you for pointing out our high temps may be a contributing factor. She was running round the yard squawking her head of this morning. I thought a predator was around but, no, just my mad chook doing a number.