RIR constantly in nest

[newtochooks80]

My Rhode Island Red has been laying for a few weeks now, eggs getting to an average size. The last few days though, she has been sitting in the nesting box all day (and all last night) and I noticed her eggs have become quite small. Is this being 'broody' and if so what if anything should I do about it. I also have a Light Sussex who lays in the same box but if Red is in there all the time Im afraid she will lay somewhere else (never to be found)

Any advice would be appreciated thanks

 

[riverman]

Yep! That 'ole girl is gettin broody. It all matters on what you want, kind of. FROM MY EXPERIENCE: You cannot make a chicken stop brooding nor can you start it when you want. If you want an excellent, cost free incubator then thats awesome for you. But when the girls go broody they stop eating & drinking as much so they usually stop or really slow down on laying. Being so young your girl will probably keep laying but maybe not as much. My dad used to go out to the coop and throw the broodies out of their nests in high hopes of making them stop, but it never stopped them.

Its a great thing for the hens to hatch a batch of eggs at least once in their lifetime, but if you dont want them too now they will want to again later in life more than likely. I just pick up my girl's eggs as soon as I can so they dont start developing when I have a hen going broody, and I dont want any chicks from them.

hope this helps!

 

[tgperg]

Man, I would pay good money to have another hen go broody right now. I've been collecting eggs from my best three dominique hens and I want to set them! One of my hens is on a clutch that's due to hatch next Wednesday, but I want more!

Traci