out of town -chicken sitter scared of broody chicken and high temps

[wahmommy]

Hi, I'm out of the country for three weeks, and we have one more week to go before we get home. We have someone house and petsitting, and one of our hens that I'd just gotten unbroody about two weeks ago decided to go broody again, probably a couple of days after we left. Unfortunately, the person housesitting is scared of our broody hen as the hen fluffs up and acts very defensive- if I were home I would normally just kick her out of the nest to make sure she is getting enough to eat and drink (its been in the high 90s, yesterday it was 102!) or break her of the broodiness again but I'm not there. Chicken coop is in the shade under trees, but worried-she is a young hen not even a year old yet. I told the person petsitting to leave her, as she would get off the nest for food and water etc at least once a day, and to watch and see if she seems weak or sick, but I don't know what else to do. I could call another neighbor who might be able to pull the chicken off the nest (she is less scared of things I think) but that's really the only thing I can think of til I get back. I don't know how to explain to anyone via email how to break a broody (I borrowed a dog crate from my mom, and added a wire bottom then put it up on blocks- I have since dismantled the whole thing and returned the crate) Will my hen be okay if she's just broody for three weeks?

I am also a little paranoid because two hours before we left for our trip one of our other hens was found under the roost (looked like she just dropped dead -heartattack? -while sleeping. She hadn't been sick). I don't think she was contagious or anything all the other hens are fine, just worried about losing any more.

Any advise appreciated.

 

[A Chicken Owner]

Any broody under a year old should be broken, especially in this heat but if you get your petsitter to break her, the chicks will obviously die. I reccomend if possible to put food and water right next to her in the nesting box so she can eat and drink more often. If you're willing to kill the chicks or if you have an incubator, you can try to get your petsitter to break her. If you're choosing this option, make sure your petsitter does this at nighttime otherwise the broody hen will attack your petsitter and quite likely draw blood.

I hope this is enough information and good luck!

 

[DanasChicks]

Hi Wahmommy,

Oh, your poor pet sitter. I would assume your hen is fluffing up like a royal queen when someone disturbs her. Although it has been super hot, one of my broody hens moved herself from direct sunlit nest to one with less direct sunlight. She is continuing to sit, even though I have tried to break her and took all her eggs away. I even tried putting newly hatched chicks under her and she would have nothing of it. My coop is not in the shade and she's doing just fine. I check on her everyday. That's about all your pet sitter can do. You could ask your pet sitter to place a small dish with water and some feed much closer to her nesting area , just to be sure your hen stays plenty hydrated. Chances are even if your neighbor removed her from the nest, if determined enough, she may just go back since you don't have means to contain her elsewhere at this time. Rest assured, those hens have a mind of their own, and I have seen all of our broody hens take a quick break for food and water when they need it. I hope upon your return you find your flock happy and just glad to see you!! Take care!

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Any broody under a year old should be broken, especially in this heat but if you get your petsitter to break her, the chicks will obviously die. I reccomend if possible to put food and water right next to her in the nesting box so she can eat and drink more often. If you're willing to kill the chicks or if you have an incubator, you can try to get your petsitter to break her. If you're choosing this option, make sure your petsitter does this at nighttime otherwise the broody hen will attack your petsitter and quite likely draw blood.

I hope this is enough information and good luck!

So many things I'm questioning
1) if she's under a year old, why break her? I had a hen who went broody 2 weeks after laying (6 months, she was a Cochin) and hatched a chick
2) what do you mean 'willing to kill chicks'? You mean letting her sit on eggs, hatching out then chicks dying of heat? Just.. What?! Or do you mean if she has chicks killing the chicks to break her? Seriously, what?

The hen needs to either be moved to a cooler place or broken, yes, but I don't think that killing chicks would exactly be the route anyone would go.
And I've never had a broody hen draw blood, ever, and one lunged at my face before. Yes some are more aggressive, but if the hen has been broody before and not drawn blood, then doing it during the day is fine. But yes, the hen does need to be cooled or broken, and given cool water next to her nest.

Chicken owner - I'm NOT trying to be rude, but your post disturbs me if Im understanding it the way I think I should be...

 

[appps]

I read it that they thought the hen had already hatched chicks and so by breaking her those would die if she was locked up. Think its just a matter of misreading rather than chickacide as a breaking method or at least I hope so !!

As for the original question. Can you advise her to put on some thick garden gloves before lifting the hen off ? I have one that gets annoyed with me when broody and that bit of extra protection gives me the confidence to still pick her up. Also makes her a bit better behaved as she pecks me without but not with the gloves on.

To make sure she is off as much as possible without the box can you lock her off the nest?
I'd just take her off and lock her out. If its not possible without locking all the hens out then wait till after lunch etc when eggs should be laid for the day then lock it. Half a day off eating and drinking us still better till you get home than sitting full time

I don't even use a box with my silkie. It's just about keeping them off somehow for about three or four days. Be that a box or by not letting them in to sit it all seems to work the same for us.

 

[wahmommy]

She doesn't have chicks or fertile eggs, as we don't have roosters-she just went broody on her own. If the petsitter takes her off the nest she will just go back on. There is no way for me to break her until I am back in a little over a week. I believe I will tell her to put a bowl of water in the nest box with her. I cannot close off the boxes as the other hens lay there. Entire coop and nest box are in the shade so that's not a problem.

 

[off-grid hen]

Yep, I think that's your best bet. She'll be fine until you get back. The only thing I would have your chicken sitter do is put on gloves and collect the eggs under the broody. If they aren't fertile, nothing will hatch anyway. Once you know you're starting with fresh eggs, daily collecting will make sure no eggs are going to waste. Have a great vacation!

 

[NosiphoChooks]

I left mine (accidentally I might add) outside when it was raining and she soon broke her broodiness! Otherwise I have had them sitting on nothing, rocks, and trying to steal 5 week old chicks from other chickens! Being out in the rain for the night worked a treat though. I came out in the morning and she was a normal chicken again!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Having your chicken sitter don some gloves and dunk her in a bucket of cool water would probably do wonders for her broody attitude. It would certainly cool her down as well

She'll likely be fine until you get home even if you don't stick a bowl of water next to her, but better safe than sorry!

 

[A Chicken Owner]

So many things I'm questioning
1) if she's under a year old, why break her? I had a hen who went broody 2 weeks after laying (6 months, she was a Cochin) and hatched a chick
2) what do you mean 'willing to kill chicks'? You mean letting her sit on eggs, hatching out then chicks dying of heat? Just.. What?! Or do you mean if she has chicks killing the chicks to break her? Seriously, what?

The hen needs to either be moved to a cooler place or broken, yes, but I don't think that killing chicks would exactly be the route anyone would go.
And I've never had a broody hen draw blood, ever, and one lunged at my face before. Yes some are more aggressive, but if the hen has been broody before and not drawn blood, then doing it during the day is fine. But yes, the hen does need to be cooled or broken, and given cool water next to her nest.

Chicken owner - I'm NOT trying to be rude, but your post disturbs me if Im understanding it the way I think I should be...

1. Hens under a year old should be broken because they're inexperienced; especially because of the heat. An inexperienced broody may not get of the nest to eat and drink enough. It's possible for broodies to die.

2. By killing chicks I mean since she's been broody for 2 weeks so there are developed chicks in the eggs so if she is broken the chicks inside will obviously die because they're not under a broody hen or in an incubator.

I hope I have myself clear