newbie with questions about possable broody hen

[schellie69]

I have a EE bantam that was the first one to start to lay about 2 months ago well the last few days she has not been jumping off the nest like she did in the beginning and now she is sleeping in the nest box tonight is she going broody she did lay her egg and I retrieved it, we have no roo so none of the eggs are fertilized could she still be getting broody on me, she free ranged today ate normal poo is normal as far as I know she usually roost with the other hens she has never acted like this before. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jprice2ndlt]

Hens can go broody even without a rooster. I had a game hen that was free ranged by herself and she would go broody all the time. When you try to get the eggs out from under her does she make any growling sounds. Thats they way mine do when theyy go broody.

 

[schellie69]

she does not want me to remove her from the nest she is sitting on a golf ball right now (chickens won't use nest boxes if I remove the golf balls)

 

[jprice2ndlt]

Sounds possible to me. If you dont want her to stay like that just keep getting the eggs and removing her from the nest, it should break her from it. My dad read that you can put them under tub or in a opened bottom cage to let them cool down.

 

[numamahen]

we have had a couple of our 24 golden laced wyandottes go broody. Usually it ends after a bit (some a week or so, this last one has been about two months). She was pretty goofy at first and made noises when i would take out eggs - others would go in with her and lay & she justs tucks them all under her. Now she doesn't mind. I actually will 1-2 week, make her a warm mash & sit with her so she eats, then I close the coop door for a bit and make her walk around. The minute the door is open, she is back in her spot!! So I guess, if you can "afford" to let the broodiness take it's course, it does end. Today I noticed all the girls were out for quite a while. As for getting eggs out, loosely cup your hand over/around her head and just grab the eggs from under her. i do this with all of the girls when they seem like they will peck. They started laying in July - and now they just make noise and don't peck any more. Ours are pretty docile tho' & I got used to pecking when we took them to the fair & then they would peck so hard my daughter wouldn't get her hand in the cages!! Big/long sweatshirt sleeves are good in that case. She too got used to it, and now just uses the "head cupping" process.