- Jul 14, 2012
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My poor girls!...I have 2 chickens, a Light Brahma and a Jersey Giant that I'm not sure how to help. In April/May, our flock of 8 dwindled down to 4 due to what we think were fox attacks on 3 different nights. We figured out and fixed the entry point to the run, only to have a raccoon figure out how to squeeze in from the top of the run. He/She killed 2 more.
Anyway, our remaining 2 seem to be quite traumatized and justifiably so. Shortly after the last kill, we then had a really frightening storm. When I got home late that night, the Light Brahma, "Mothra", was hiding in one of the nest boxes. The Jersey Giant, "Ginormica", was by herself on the roost. From then on, Mothra has tried to stay in the nest boxes 24/7. She stopped laying eggs a couple of weeks ago, and now Ginormica has joined in her game in the last week. I should mention, too, that we've had many days around 100 degrees recently. I kick them out every day after lunch, figuring there will be no eggs if they weren't laid by then. I also close the run so they can't go back in (or they would!). They are not eating their food or drinking in their coop that I'm aware of. When I kick them out, I put out scratch and their other waterer. They puff up to twice their size when I open the nest box doors. I pet their heads and backs a bit before I pull them out, and they haven't tried to peck me at all, but they are definitely NOT happy when I set them down outside! Once they get over their initial anger, they seem to be happy to peck at the scratch and drink the water, and I'll see them pecking around the yard here and there like normal. But as soon as that run is open, they make a beeline for those nest boxes! I didn't think this would necessarily be "broodiness" if there are no eggs (?). Am I making matters worse by kicking them out every day? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
P.S. They are both about 14 months old.
Anyway, our remaining 2 seem to be quite traumatized and justifiably so. Shortly after the last kill, we then had a really frightening storm. When I got home late that night, the Light Brahma, "Mothra", was hiding in one of the nest boxes. The Jersey Giant, "Ginormica", was by herself on the roost. From then on, Mothra has tried to stay in the nest boxes 24/7. She stopped laying eggs a couple of weeks ago, and now Ginormica has joined in her game in the last week. I should mention, too, that we've had many days around 100 degrees recently. I kick them out every day after lunch, figuring there will be no eggs if they weren't laid by then. I also close the run so they can't go back in (or they would!). They are not eating their food or drinking in their coop that I'm aware of. When I kick them out, I put out scratch and their other waterer. They puff up to twice their size when I open the nest box doors. I pet their heads and backs a bit before I pull them out, and they haven't tried to peck me at all, but they are definitely NOT happy when I set them down outside! Once they get over their initial anger, they seem to be happy to peck at the scratch and drink the water, and I'll see them pecking around the yard here and there like normal. But as soon as that run is open, they make a beeline for those nest boxes! I didn't think this would necessarily be "broodiness" if there are no eggs (?). Am I making matters worse by kicking them out every day? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
P.S. They are both about 14 months old.
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