She is not even 7 months old and she is sitting on eggs???

[Hope119]

it is cool out, but the broody was keeping the eggs at an incubator temp... what was it.. almost a 100?

I don't have much hopes to find the missing chicken (Chicka)... Can rooster be crowing at night in the dark because he misses her?

I actually remembered that when I went to get Rita off the nest for the second time (shortly before 11am), two chickens that were near the coop got really-really scared of me, started acting like crazy (running away, hitting the fence), like if they saw something really scary. I am thinking that maybe Chicka was gone by that time - maybe that is why others were so scared.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Quote:
I bought six one day old chicks in the last week of March, 2009. They were supposed to all be pullets, but the feed store gave me one rooster by accident.


On September 2, 2009 -- only five months a few days after the buff (whose name is Momma) was hatched, she went broody. I had no idea what a broody was until I reported her odd behavior here, and folks told me what I was seeing.


The rooster and the other four hens were also only five months old, so we figured we'd let her sit on some eggs since her heart was set on it -- but we didn't think that any would actually hatch. At that young of an age, we figured they'd never make it.


But on September 26 -- one day before Momma, the roo, and the other hens were to celebrate their six month birthday -- Momma successfully hatched three babies!


So the answer is YES, you can have a broody that is as young as yours.


Now, what to do about it -- well, that is a difficult question to answer. I guess it depends on whether you want young ones or not, and whether you can create a safe place for her to brood.

 

[chics in the sun]

Hmm... I don't know if the eggs would still be good - you're right about the temps. I'd proably throw them out. It does sound like your chickens were spooked by whatever took Chicka. Keep your eye out for whatever it was. I would think the rooster does miss her - they are meant to be their protectors.

 

[Hope119]

well, the eggs looked maybe a bit different inside, but we ate 2 or 3 already. all the eggs are probably be from under her now. I just got one more. can she herself be still laying? the color/size are like it could have been hers. She still spends all the time there, on the nest - even when during the late evening in all dark I brought her to the roost - shortly after DH fond her back on the nest (and he also put her on the roost.. I am sure she went right back to the nest shortly after). No way we can keep her away from that area without locking her up in a cage. I have a feeling that others are either not laying today or they are laying outside the coop.. just that one egg so far... although our chickens are weird... they can lay even at 4pm, so I still have some hope.