So my hen has gone broody sorta..

[catlikethief]

I noticed days and days ago she would sit in her nest box for what seemed like hours admiring her hard work. Today when i went to grab her egg from under her I was a bit shocked to feel her naked chest.

She's a 9month old RIR. The thing I am having a hard time understanding is, (and I have searched) she gets out of the nesting box every day and sleeps on her roost. Why did she pluck her feathers if she's only going to be half broody? I'd like to get her some eggs but am unsure what she'll do next.


What should I do?

 

[keljonma]

We've had that happen before. The pullet had removed her breast feathers, but did not go completely broody; she only sat in the nest for about a week and then decided it was tooo boring for her!

As a result, we never let a bird younger than 1 year old go broody and try to raise a clutch of chicks.



Edited: now if I could just type!

 

[catlikethief]

Quote:
I guess I never let age factor into this, that makes perfect sense to me now.
Thanks!

 

[themoorethemerrier]

We had a little black hen that did that. I got sick of the mental anguish of, should I leave the eggs, or will they rot, and then will others lay their eggs in with those, and what will I sell then?! I ordered some fake eggs. Works wonders!

 

[MamaDragon]

RIRs are supposed to be good brooders and mothers.

First, you need to decide if you WANT her to raise a brood of chicks.

If you do, get her some of those fake eggs, and see what she does. If she decides to sit on the fakes for at least a couple days.... build her a brood box keep her on the fake eggs for a couple more days and see how she takes to that. (I've used those plastic easter eggs in the nests, and other than some of them coming open from the weight of the chicken, they worked fine.)

IF she is truly going broody, by the time you get her into the brood box, and she settles in, you'll have had time to gather whatever eggs you want her to set. For that young a hen, I would give her between 6 - 12 eggs, and let her go.

Make sure you've gor a draft-free place for her, and follow all the wonderful advice you'll find on this board.

IF you don't WANT her to go broody, just let her go as she is, and keep watching her. Several people have posted how to break a broody hen, I'm sure you'll have no difficulty finding those either.

Kathy

P.S. I had a white leghorn go broody at about the same age. She successfully sat the nest, and has two chicks for her effort, and is the most protective mother I've ever encountered.