Talk to me about broody chickens

[Chr2241130]

I have an almost 6 monthold OEGB who has been sitting on a ceramic egg on and off for 3 days now. I am new to chickens so I am not too sure about broody behavior. I was hoping someone could give me the 411! Id also like to mention we live in Buckeye, AZ (on the outskirts of Phoenix), so it's been getting really hot here! I would like to know how the heat might effect a broody girl?


She was not in the mood to take a picture lol

She started laying on a ceramic egg so I put another one in front of her, she took that one as well

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Are you intending to use her to hatch? If not I would break her ASAP. It does her no good to be broody. You will need a system because she will go broody quite often.

 

[Chr2241130]

Are you intending to use her to hatch? If not I would break her ASAP. It does her no good to be broody. You will need a system because she will go broody quite often.

I would actually love for her to hatch a few eggs right now, but of course I'd like to know how to break her of it for the future.

 

[BullChick]

The heat will likely make her spend more time off the nest. It will be okay. The eggs won’t get cold. Make sure her water is nearby, and all will be fine.

 

[BullChick]

I would actually love for her to hatch a few eggs right now, but of course I'd like to know how to break her of it for the future.

You will have to break her indoors. She needs cool air on her under side which is usually accomplished in an elevated cage. Cool cloths (not ice water!) should help.

 

[Chickassan]

Heat and broodies are not freinds. She already shorts herself food and water so to compensate her body will use any reserve fat she has and she will molt shortly after hatching if she hatched. So being broody is hard, being a hot broody is torture. She's cute as a button though.

 

[mmcraig70]

I agree with oldhen. I've had many experiences with NOT breaking hens from being broody, and unless you want her to hatch or foster for you, nip it in the bud. It just depends on your goals. I live in northern California where we can get heat waves up to 115 degrees and that is what I always worry about with mine, that she won't get enough food or water and that it's just hot in the nest box. Good luck. She's adorable, though!

 

[Chr2241130]

I do want her to hatch some oegb eggs, she is the only bantam we have right now and we absolutely love her personality! I just don't want this heat to kill her it's been brutal! Although I have been making sure our chickens stay nice and cool, luckily I stay at home and can tend to them regularly.

 

[mmcraig70]

I do want her to hatch some oegb eggs, she is the only bantam we have right now and we absolutely love her personality! I just don't want this heat to kill her it's been brutal! Although I have been making sure our chickens stay nice and cool, luckily I stay at home and can tend to them regularly.

This year the thing that's made the difference for me has been shadescreen. Long story short it's dropped the temp inside my coop (which is around 9'x9' by about 9' at the peak of the roof) a good 10 degrees. Plus I run a fan straight at the nest boxes during the day and use a couple of fans to draw in outside air once it cools off at night, which thankfully it does for us. If you do let her lay and hatch, be prepared to witness the amazing nature of a mama chicken. It's mind blowing how all of that information is programmed into their head! As humans, sometimes we really should just step back and let nature do its thing! Although if ALL of your girls did this, you'd have no eggs so there has to be a balance. Best of luck to you! Have fun watching it all play out.
Michelle in CA

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I do want her to hatch some oegb eggs, she is the only bantam we have right now and we absolutely love her personality! I just don't want this heat to kill her it's been brutal! Although I have been making sure our chickens stay nice and cool, luckily I stay at home and can tend to them regularly.

It probably would be best to break her now, and let her set in cooler weather. She will definitely be broody again.

Put her in a wire bottom crate slightly elevated off the ground for 3-7 days. She will be upset so put her somewhere cool. If she's like my bantams she will be broody again in about 6 weeks.