So, I just returned from a couple day trip and went to check on my 2 hens before I went to bed, and found one of them on the perch, and the other in a nest box. I picked her up out of the box and noticed that her stomach has a completely exposed bald spot. When I set her down, she just layed there for a few minutes with her wings hanging on the ground, but then she started her normal feather cleaning ritual, and seemed to be ok. So I thought that maybe she is just moulting and was in the nest to stay warm. But after reading a little on here, i'm starting to think that maybe she is broody. I am just nervous about anything new and different with them after losing my other girl last month. And I am suprised that she would lost that many feathers in 2 days, but maybe it is normal? They are buff orpingtons, a little over a year old. What do you guys think? Thank you!!
she wasn't sitting in the box a lot prior to this. however, my mom went to check on them the second day i was gone, and said that peck sat on the nest the whole time she was there. but that was only for an hour, so i figured she might just be laying an egg. this morning i went out there and she was still in the box... all fluffed up and sitting on the rocks that i leave in the nest. i pulled her out and set her down, and after a few minutes, she jumped up, ran out into the run, and starting eating all of the seeds i had sprinkled out there. so, i took all of my rock "eggs" out of the nest, and left for work. does it sound like she is indeed broody? and could i have caused this by leaving them with eggs in the box all day friday and saturday morning? i don't know what i'm supposed to do. i live in a city, so i'm not going to get eggs for her to hatch. but i feel bad discouraging her from being motherly. i just don't want her to be featherless and starving!
Sounds like she is broody. Don't panic, just make sure and take away your eggs (and rocks) so there is nothing to sit on. If she is really broody you may have to lock her out of the coop for the day so she has nowhere to nest or if that is not possible make a broody coop to put her in. There are lots of threads for how to break their broodiness, just do a search and you will get lots of tips and ideas.
She's broody. I had one go broody on me this spring, and I had to physically remove her from her nesting box each day and lock her out of the house to make sure she ate and drank. She was impossible to break, too. It ran its course after about 6 weeks.
thanks for everyones advice. after reading through lots of threads, she has to be broody. so, this evening, i pulled peck out again, covered the nest box, and shut the door to the house. she ate and drank and dustbathed for a while.... but as soon as she finished that, she started fluffing up and squaking every few minutes until i let her back into the coop. then she ran back and forth in front of the box, looking for any little spot to get in. tonight, i got her up on the roost with buffy for bed, but i'm sure tomorrow will be another interesting day. hopefully i can break her of this broodiness without breaking her little heart. oh, and this broody trance that i read about definitely exists. every time i pull her out of the box, she lays there completely limp and weak in the legs for a few minutes.. then jumps up and acts completely normal. silly chickens.
