Should you stop a hen being broody?

[cluckcluckluke]

Lily, have you sorted it all out?

 

[lilypad]

Lily, have you sorted it all out?

Well I did sort my goldtop out but she's now decided she wants to be broody again! Hopefully she'll be unbroody in a few days.

My Welsummer's a funny one. She's been sort of a quarter-broody for a while

She'll come outside on her own and spend most of the day outside (and sometimes she will be outside all day for several days in a row), then suddenly she will vanish and go back to her broody spot, so I'll put her back outside and she'll be normal for a few days, then again she will go back to her spot.
She's definitely not at risk health-wise, she has put weight on and her comb is reddening up again, so I just keep popping her outside when I find her acting broody.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Sounds good.

I had a broody like that for a while. Now she is full broody and is taking ages to 'Break".

I just put all of my broodies in a wire floor cage. It takes them from 1-4 days to go back to normal and that's the end of that.
It isn't cruel and is far better than getting mites and having a malnourished hen that will be of the lay for ages.

.
What breeds do you have now?

 

[lilypad]

I'm hoping as the weather is getting much colder now the broodies will give up, although maybe they prefer to sit in the coop to stay warm LOL.

I hope you can unbroody your girls I definitely agree it's better than having malnourished hen, I definitely will not let my hens sit and get that thin again. BUT, when I tried sitting my welsummer in a raised wire cage she went crazy and started screaming, it was awful and just maked me think of battery hens which made me feel really sad, so I just can't do that to her

I have 3 Favs, a Goldtop, Welsummer and a Cream legbar X. Plus after my bantam orp passed away

and I got the all clear from the vet I decided to add another Orpington (LF), whilst I was at the breeders there was a gorgeous Polish hen who wouldn't stay with her Polish flock and kept hopping the fence to live with the huge Brahmas, she seemed such a character she came home with me as well

What have you got?

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Yeah, hens usually go broody in Summer and Spring but I've had then mid Autumn so you never know.
I have already had 8 broodies out of 23 hens/pullets

and It isn't even Summer yet. They have all gotten over them selves rather fast and I have got one with 4 chicks now

to cute.

Sorry about your Wellie and you bantie Orp. I have never heard of hens going crazy like that. But some breeds just don't do well in confined area. The cage I put my broodies is quite large so they are all happy.

haha, that polish does sound wonderful.

I have 2 WLH's, 3 Ancona's, 2 RIR banties, 3 Langshans, 4 Wheaten Marans, 4 Sex-Links, 1 Frizzle ( big personality like your Polish ), 3 Ara's, 1 Wyandotte, 1 WLH rooster ( my fav ) and one Runner Duck

. Thanks for asking.

 

[lilypad]

Oh my, that's a lot of broodies haha!! I bought my goldtop knowing she would be a broody hen, but I've had her for 6 months and this is the 3rd time she's gone broody LOL! And the first time went on for 2 months. I underestimated her broodiness! The good thing is though the breeder I went too this time was just lovely and she said if I ever want any eggs in Spring she will give me some for my goldtop to hatch and raise, and then I can choose which ones I want to keep and I can take the rest back to her, she was so so lovely and assured me she never kills cockerels

Your flock sounds wonderful (what's WLH?)! I love langshans and frizzles

the breeder I went too also had frizzle polishes and pekins, they were so tempting!
Surprisingly Poppet, my Polish has been quite shy since she arrived. Hopefully she'll settle in soon. She is molting though so that is probably making her feel pretty rotten as well.

Here's a pic of Poppet



And here is one of Poppet and Edie (the Orp who came with her). Edie is the youngest of my flock, not even at egg laying age, yet is the biggest of them all!! Poppet is 18months and the smallest of them all. They make such a pair haha!

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Wow, what a great lady.
A WLH stands for White Leghorn.
Oh I love that colouring of Polish and you got a blue lorp. I love them!!

 

[gmyers]

I put my BO in a dog cage and she went berserk and cut her comb. I felt so bad. So out she came, I take her of the nest every time I go out and make sure she eats and drinks. This afternoon she's was off the nest so I hope the little stinker is over her broodiness.

 

[lilypad]

Wow, what a great lady.
A WLH stands for White Leghorn.
Oh I love that colouring of Polish and you got a blue lorp. I love them!!

Ohhhh yes! White leghorn! I think they are so beautiful but they're quite flighty aren't they? I like cuddly chickens hahah!

Thank you They're molting at the moment so are a little scruffy.

 

[lilypad]

I put my BO in a dog cage and she went berserk and cut her comb. I felt so bad. So out she came, I take her of the nest every time I go out and make sure she eats and drinks. This afternoon she's was off the nest so I hope the little stinker is over her broodiness.

Oh poor chick! I've actually had to put my goldtop in a dog crate this morning as she was being quite nasty to one of the other girls who wanted to lay and was making her really stressed. Luckily my goldtop's pretty calm in the crate. Will let her out again once everyone's laid and just keep the pophole shut until bedtime

Best of look with your BO!