Speckled Sussex staying on nest….Please Help…

[BauerWFarm]

My SS went broody in the Fall for her first time….. one night she just “disappeared”…. Leaving 4-5 feathers behind and very upset mother hen thinking she was taken by a predator…. She was gone for 2 weeks maybe…. Not sure. One morning there she was back in their yard and when I checked her over her feather we’re sticking out like a porcupine . And she smelled foul…. Leaving me so confused…. After finding an egg here and an egg there…. ROTTEN…(had never smelled rotten eggs before). She did a number on several of us including my dog who none of ever saw her… and she made a nest in a flower bed of calla lilies next to our pool and we had also a lot of rain….. I finally found the nest…. 29 eggs!!! Almost all rotten! All her feathers were missing from underneath…. I read up and found a suggestion to cover whatever location they are trying to nest in…. I placed a bucket over the spot…. And yes she went back, but it quickly stopped her being broody and she was back to roosting with all the flock the next day.

Idk if this helps but it is my first experience with a broody hen. Good Luck! To me broody is equivalent to a hen with pms

 

[triciayoung]

Have you tried to reach in and grab her? If you try to reach under her and grab her eggs what does she do? Her behavior will give some answers as to whether or not she's broody or she just doesn't feel well.

How is she doing? What have you learned?

 

[mldlm]

I have a speckled sussex. When you put her on the floor, did she do the "pancake" thing - meaning spreading out on the floor? Did she "scream" at you when you tried to take her out of the nesting box? It sounds like she is broody from your responses thus far. If she went up to roost last night, she may only need one day in the crate. I know my SS would get very depressed being in a crate for 3-days. There is another option...SS are very nice and kind chickens - the problem is that they get bullied badly. She may be being bullied and doesn't want to come out for that reason.

 

[mldlm]

How is she doing? What have you learned?

She did do the ”pancake” thing When I took her out of the nest on Friday. She sort of was puffed up and dazed….kind of reminded me of my teen aged son when I would wake him before he was ready to get up…lol. On Saturday, she was in the nest for about three hours, so I took her out again. She was not happy again, but I did manage to get her out of the nest. I took her out to the run and put her by the food and water. She drank and ate quite a bit and then seemed fine. She did lay an egg. I have decided to keep an eye on her when she goes on the nest, give her 2-3 hours and then go take her out, if she hasn’t come out on her own. Hopefully, after a few days, she will get the point. Like yours, she does get picked on, but is also very good at staying out of the other’s way. I have four different roosts which she will use, and she is a fast runner!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

My SS went broody in the Fall for her first time….. one night she just “disappeared”…. Leaving 4-5 feathers behind and very upset mother hen thinking she was taken by a predator…. She was gone for 2 weeks maybe…. Not sure. One morning there she was back in their yard and when I checked her over her feather we’re sticking out like a porcupine . And she smelled foul…. Leaving me so confused…. After finding an egg here and an egg there…. ROTTEN…(had never smelled rotten eggs before). She did a number on several of us including my dog who none of ever saw her… and she made a nest in a flower bed of calla lilies next to our pool and we had also a lot of rain….. I finally found the nest…. 29 eggs!!! Almost all rotten! All her feathers were missing from underneath…. I read up and found a suggestion to cover whatever location they are trying to nest in…. I placed a bucket over the spot…. And yes she went back, but it quickly stopped her being broody and she was back to roosting with all the flock the next day.

Idk if this helps but it is my first experience with a broody hen. Good Luck! To me broody is equivalent to a hen with pms

Wow, yuck I can't imagine the stench of so many rotten eggs. How did you dispose of them? Bury them? Flush them? Can't exactly throw them in the trash...that can would stink for a year! Lol

 

[triciayoung]

She did do the ”pancake” thing When I took her out of the nest on Friday. She sort of was puffed up and dazed….kind of reminded me of my teen aged son when I would wake him before he was ready to get up…lol. On Saturday, she was in the nest for about three hours, so I took her out again. She was not happy again, but I did manage to get her out of the nest. I took her out to the run and put her by the food and water. She drank and ate quite a bit and then seemed fine. She did lay an egg. I have decided to keep an eye on her when she goes on the nest, give her 2-3 hours and then go take her out, if she hasn’t come out on her own. Hopefully, after a few days, she will get the point. Like yours, she does get picked on, but is also very good at staying out of the other’s way. I have four different roosts which she will use, and she is a fast runner!

Well, the good news is, broody hens don't lay eggs. Funny you say this, my Lucy is a very fast runner also.

 

[mldlm]

Well, the good news is, broody hens don't lay eggs. Funny you say this, my Lucy is a very fast runner also.

My girl is laying, but she is on the nest a loooooong time. I am talking 3-4 hours. I took her off today after 3 hours. She stayed off for about an hour and then went back. I just took her off after about an hour and a half, then she came out looking for food and water. She always goes to the same nest. Would it help to take that nest down for a while and just have three up? OR, should I just let it be and just keep getting her out?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Would it help to take that nest down for a while and just have three up? OR, should I just let it be and just keep getting her out?

Why not get a dog crate or other small cage and simply break her? It doesn't sound like you want to hatch. You CAN break them by making it difficult for her to sit, but it'll likely take longer.

 

[triciayoung]

My girl is laying, but she is on the nest a loooooong time. I am talking 3-4 hours. I took her off today after 3 hours. She stayed off for about an hour and then went back. I just took her off after about an hour and a half, then she came out looking for food and water. She always goes to the same nest. Would it help to take that nest down for a while and just have three up? OR, should I just let it be and just keep getting her out?

My girl is laying, but she is on the nest a loooooong time. I am talking 3-4 hours. I took her off today after 3 hours. She stayed off for about an hour and then went back. I just took her off after about an hour and a half, then she came out looking for food and water. She always goes to the same nest. Would it help to take that nest down for a while and just have three up? OR, should I just let it be and just keep getting her out?

I don't think she needs to be broken. She is laying eggs. I like your idea of blocking the nest she likes. Change sometimes breaks a cycle.

 

[triciayoung]

My one and only speckled is in the nesting box. She usually takes about 2 hours to lay her egg, but today, she has been in there about 4 hours and counting. It will be sunset in just about an hour. When it is time to “put them to bed”, if she isn’t out yet, should I leave her alone or take her out and put her on the roost? Maybe broody? She is currently sitting on her egg and two ceramic ones. No rooster in sight, so no fertile eggs. Advice is appreciated. Please help! Thanks!

How is she doing today?