Mean, mean "Attilla the Hen"

[Cryss]

If she's a determined broody you might want to put her in the "broody breaker" cage for at least 3 days and nights. It cools her engine and makes her forget about nests for awhile.

 

[FiddleChics]

Ah, those broody girls! I couldn’t break the broodiness of Susan, our silkie. They are renowned for broodiness, but I also think that having lost all of the friends that she had in our flock to Marek’s also made her depressed. So, I gave up on breaking her and put her on eggs! I’m hoping that having the chicks to take care of will give her a new lease on life, but integration of her babies will be rough, since she is so low on the pecking order!

Ohh! I hope it works! Idk what I'm gonna do about this broodiness... ugh! I'll just keep taking her off the nest... it's just tedious for sure... and the cranky stuff is ... for the birds... lol I'm down to 1 laying hen now... which is crumby, but what do ya do? I'm just hoping for the best... but not holding my breath. Marek's is a scary thing. That's awful... I'm so sorry.

 

[FiddleChics]

If she's a determined broody you might want to put her in the "broody breaker" cage for at least 3 days and nights. It cools her engine and makes her forget about nests for awhile.

@Cryss - Ok I hope I've got the "broody breaker" cage right? I've never had to deal with this broody thing... so I'm new... and I hope I've been doing it right? I have a 4'x2' cage that's about 3' high... and there's no nest material... only food & water. It's inside my garage. I have been putting her in there now, only at night. She's got the pinless peepers on, but I've been letting her out with everyone (and she's been behaving) during the day because I feel so bad... she's trying to adjust to the pinless peepers, and I can see she's trying to re-orient herself. (which is EXACTLY what she needs to do) lol... But my rational was that maybe having her outside, getting fresh air, and a little exercise may be better for her? But oh... idk... what do you think? Should I keep her in 3 day/nights with the pinless peepers on?

 

[FiddleChics]

Can she get up onto the roost with the shades on?

Yes! She marches right up there... just less confidently than she had been. But she gets up there, yes.

 

[FiddleChics]

Always solve for the peace of the flock.

@Mrs. K - I TOTALLY 100% agree... Peace of the flock and I need the peace there for myself too... it's not pleasant having disruption, fighting and fear so present. It is upsetting for everyone involved... and the coop/run is my happy place - where I usually enjoy spending a lot of time puttering, cleaning, talking to the girls... and Attila the Hen's been simply horrid. If the steps I'm taking now don't work... then I've come to the decision, as hard as it will be... she will be re-homed. I won't stand for these shenanigans much longer.

 

[Cryss]

Is she actually broody? Maybe I'm misunderstanding. You say she roosts if you put her in the coop? A broody will want to sit in a nest all day and all night except for a few moments a couple times a day to grab a snack and go poop. If she's broody you do have the right cage. If she's not broody caging her may not help.

 

[FiddleChics]

Is she actually broody? Maybe I'm misunderstanding. You say she roosts if you put her in the coop? A broody will want to sit in a nest all day and all night except for a few moments a couple times a day to grab a snack and go poop. If she's broody you do have the right cage. If she's not broody caging her may not help.

I think she was definitely broody... but she's been inside at night, and I've spent every spare moment chasing her off the nesting boxes, but she was growling, cranky, puffing up and spreading her wings out low - like a big turkey...

I was at my wits end! (Here she is:

) General consensus was she was broody... but that seems to have broken since the pinless peepers went on... as she's more concerned with navigating herself... than being vicious or wanting to be on a nest every spare moment... although last night I went to turn them in & she went up onto the roost. But I went out 2 hours later - before I went to bed - and Ugh... she was sitting on the nesting box. She hasn't laid an egg in a while now either. She seemed happy enough though, being out in the run yesterday and today... I think I'll try the same thing tonight. PLAN: If she goes into the coop at dark, and gets on the roost with the flock, then she can stay... but if I go out and she's in the nesting box... NO WAY - she'll come inside to the garage to the Anti-Broody box. (And I have cameras inside the coop so I can spy on them!!!)

 

[FiddleChics]

Final update! Attila the Hen has turned over a new feather!!! The Pinless Peepers came off of her after 6 days (I just couldn't stand it anymore) and her chasing and attacking the peeps - has stopped! She did peck at one of the peeps when they came too close while she was eating... but that - was within the 'normal' range of chicken pecking order behavior! The Peeps are wary of her, but not scared anymore... AND - their size has had the 2 weeks of growing advantage and at 12 weeks, they're getting closer in size to the hens. She's back in the coop, and everyone save a few peeps (who prefer the chair in the coop) are on the roost together.

I threw scratch out, and they shared... under our watchful eyes... and finally, thanks to you all here at BYC... I think I can safely say - there's peace in the coop again and I'm SO glad! Thank you everyone for your wise insights and advice! The broodiness seems to be past and the adult hens are both laying again, and no more growling, puffery, lingering on the nests too long or aggressive posturing.

The time out box at night - for 4 days worked well, in addition to the pinless peepers for 1 week. I'd say I give the pinless peepers an A+. They really changed her mindset, while she could still eat, drink, scratch, peck and do all her chicken things... except be a bully!

 

[aart]

Attila the Hen has turned over a new feather!!!

Awesome!
Great Job!

 

[Willowspirit]

Awesome!
Great Job!

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