PRE-broody? NO, full on broody! New ? post #12

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:

I have a hatchery Cochin - Blondie - she laid 3 eggs and then went broody at 23 weeks of age

Fantastic mom.




Grits - I bet she is starting. Hormones are flowing and she is not too sure what to do yet, the nest box is soothing but she does not want to miss one bite of food that someone else will get. Got a couple golf balls? Give them to her tonight and see if that triggers her to stay tomorrow or the next day.

My "new" broodies usually act confused for a couple days/a week. Sometimes growling and attacking everyone. I have a girly who runs about with her wings out and all puffed up, complaining about everything before she goes broody.

I am sorry you are feeling unwell.

Get better quick and your DH also. You need a new name for the baby coop - maybe try Broody Coop

 

[gritsar]

She's full on broody. This afternoon I put on my suit of armor, went out and removed her off the nest. She bit and growled. I sat her down in front of the feeder. She just sat there, flat as a pancake. I tried waving some food in her face; no good. She was like in a trance. Then one of the other pullets started heading to the broody's nestbox and the fight was on. Broody puffed all up and went after the other pullet. The only things in the nestbox are one egg (I think she laid day before yesterday) and three golfballs. Of course she would have to go broody in everybodys favorite nestbox.

I'm gonna save her a couple of brahma eggs tomorrow. Think I'll give her three in case she doesn't want to stick with it.

How do I get her to eat? I thought it would be as simple as taking her out and putting her in front of the food??

 

[redhen]

Can you fit a food bowl in the box with her?

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

When mine are in hard broody mode I sometimes leave BOSS or a small bowl of food in the nest box with them. I figure they will eventually "wake up" and feel a bit peckish.

Whoohoo for all the broodies!!! You do know Jethro or Ellie Mae will be next, right?

I'm sorry you and DH are feeling icky. Try to lay low. Feel better soon!

 

[galanie]

Once the meaty went broody, it was bound to happen. Sounds like my luck.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks y'all. Really don't know how I could rig up a food and/or water bowl in the nestbox she's in.

Hoping to feel well enough tomorrow that I can figure something out. If I have to sit in the coop and hand feed her I will.

 

[Kittymomma]

Hey Gritty,

Congrats on the broody girls!

I'm not sure how your nest boxes are set up, but I've had good luck using old rabbit feeders to keep food close to setting and/or sick hens. They're mostly in an extra large dog crate though and it's easy to attach the rabbit feeder to the door. I nailed a piece of welded wire fencing to a couple of studs on the inside of the coop so I could use a rabbit feeder to put oystershell in though so that method might work on the inside of a wooden nesting box....I usually use a small glass bowl for the water--I bought them to use for single serving custard dishes, but most have made their way to the barn. They're just too handy

I take them out when it gets close to hatch time so the chicks don't drown, but haven't had any problems with them getting spilled or filled with shavings as long as I tuck them into the corner of the box.

Hope you guys feel better soon!

 

[Judy]

Quote:
When they flatten out like that I pick them up and set them down a few feet away, sometimes more than once, and even sort of chase them, or set them out of the coop. I just bug them until they get up on their feet. I've never had any luck hand feeding them on the nest -- as you say, they are evidently in a trance. I do this about 4 times a day. I've had more than one get used to this in a few days; one who was broody for a loooong time eventually got off the nest whenever I walked in the coop. Also never tried to set up food/water in the nest. Well, I tried once, but it just made a mess.

I don't even have a wire cage any more. This is all I do to break broodies. I figure, if they're going to be stubborn, at least they eat more this way.

 

[Sjisty]

Gritsar, it looks like you are no longer broody challenged! When mine go broody, they usually do come off the nest once a day to eat, so I don't worry much. The only one I had a problem with was Frack, my house chicken. I would have to pick her up and take her outside, growling all the way, once a day and keep her locked out for 20 minutes so she could eat and exercise. I would have to prod her a bit, give her a little push once or twice on her fluffy butt to get her up and moving. Then she would run around the yard cussing, but would eat, drink, and take a quick dust bath before coming back to the door to be let in.

Congratulations on having two broodies!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think you should change to "Plentiful Broodies" or "Broody Attack"

I wouldn't give her food in the nest. My *limited* experience shows that they will get off the nest and sneak a bite of food/water when you're not watching. (and stretch her legs too) I thought my girl wasn't eating, then I started watching the food levels and they were going down. (she was the only one that could get to the food) But for some reason, she refused to get up to do her broody business, she would just hang her rear out of the nesting box and let it go. A couple times, she missed, and it ended up in the edge of the nest. (thankfully not on the eggs) It's really hard to clean up the nesting box when you're being pecked. Also, if you need to add shavings to the nest, just pile them up around her and she'll put them underneath.