My Australorp went broody...Yikes is she ever mad...lol

[Gracefulspice]

I noticed yesterday she wanted to lay in the nest and was bit grumpy...so I placed her outside and she was fine as usual. Then last night she decided to lay on the nest instead of the roost. I new then I had me a Broody Hen.

. This morning I placed her on the floor again and made her go outside for a bit till I left for work. I get home and she's sitting in the nest and really PO'd...lol. I never seen a chicken that grumpy.

. I did some research and decided to go with the plastic eggs. I found 2 in the attic, washed them, had to put gloves on this time, and placed them under her. So I guess in 21 days she'll be over this from what I understand. I have food and water by her side. But I feel I should be doing something more for her. Any sujestions?

I added a picture of her below. She looks cute all fluffed up.

 

[speckledhen]

If you have fertile eggs, put them under her, but if you do not want her to brood, take out the plastic eggs. By putting them under her, you are encouraging her to stay on the nest on eggs that will never hatch. If you want to break her up, keep taking her off the nest or put her in a cage where air can get under her tush, anything to break the spell. I had a bad experience with a broody Buff Orp who came a hair's breadth away from death by being psycho broody for 22 days. I tried everything to break her up, too, and ended up having to give her water and vitamins and yogurt with a syringe to save her life. It was her first broody spell, too. She might have just starved or died from dehydration-that girl was going into convulsions. She may not automatically snap out of it if you have eggs under her.

 

[Gracefulspice]

No I don't have fertile eggs, and I don't want peeps but I read that if you try to break her of being broody that she will go into broody more often.

I didn't want that, So that's why I took the advice of placing plastic eggs for her to stay broody till either they pop open from her weight or till the 21 days was over. But if that's the wrong thing to do I will remove the eggs and move her out of the nest right away. This is her first broody episode, she's 11 months and I don't want anything to interfear with her health. I tried to find the web site I found that information on and Go Figure I can't find it, cause I'd like to post it, so you could see what it says. But I totally trust your judgement over that website. I've read many of your posts and I do know that you've been doing this a long time and I value your opinion. Thanks for the imput.

I could have made a bad mistake.

 

[Gracefulspice]

Ok...so I moved the hen out of her nest and made her stay out of the coop untill dusk. Wow was she ever mad. un
She kept running back to the coop, circle the run and the coop constantly. I had to let her in at dusk so I blocked of the nest with some wood logs. She was so confused

I felt horrible. Either way she had to choice but to roost where she usually does. Come morning I made her go outside again. She is still running back to the coop regulary but seems to be taking longer breaks in between. She will regulary want to go back to the coop to lay and egg. She laid one yesterday. So how do I know if she wants back in to be broody or if she needs to lay and egg?

 

[Chill_Billy]

I have a siki that goes broody every 3 months....sometimes lays for a month then broody.
Hard to tell as she is 1 year old...didn't lay all winter as way to cold. Started in spring maybe April...then broody in May..Lay in June..then broody again in July...so I put 2 of the cochins eggs in with her...

From what I have read on here...you can make a "broody" buster cage..haha
It has slats for a floor so cooler air will blow under her breast? and cool her down..plus no nest..Separate her and she'll break out of it.

I'm going to try that if/when eggs hatch....Its sad to see them all by themselves on nest, and even sadder when they desparately try to get back in nest. Mine squeezed thro a 3" opening above a brick to get in there.
She is a determined silki.