Updated w/PHOTOS! broody turkey hen, it's been over 3 months..

[BikerBabeRules]

Hi-
I have one turkey hen and she's been sitting on an empty nest for almost 4 months now. She had 2 of her own eggs and 4 chicken eggs she was brooding over. She is so heavy and clumsly, she broke all of them. I removed them way way back and she refuses to leave her nest. I have wrecked her nest in the corner of the barn in the hay to no avail. I have seen her go outside for a few minutes and stretch, but she goes right back in there and hisses when I go near her as if she's got something to protect. I have no fertile eggs but do have some baby chicks a few days old. Could I take a couple of the 3 day olds I know are roos and give them to her? Will this make her happy? Is it normal to sit this long? Should I leave her alone?

 

[jenjscott]

I think 3 days is pushing it, but I believe I would try it. After 3 months, you need to end her broodiness.

 

[plfreitag]

You need to break it. Put her in a cage or pet carrier with nowhere for her to nest, just a roost and some food and water. It's good if you can hang it up so she can get cooler air to her breast. If not, even if you can isolate her in a corner of the coop or in a separate area with no place to make the nest it will help. Do this for about a week and she should be better.

Trisha in MO

 

[swtangel321]

I would give her a few day old chicks, you said she had a few chicken eggs under her... look on craislist in your area (search:chicks) when you get them put them under her at night (make sure she accepts them) and then she wont be broody any more !!!! Just make sure the chicks are no older than 3-4 days..... Keep us updated !!!

 

[BikerBabeRules]

I just tried to move her off the nest, she's sitting on a guinea egg! the only guinea eggs i've had here are a box full a friend gave me to see. She had to have gone and gotten it out of the box and somehow gotten it to her nest to sit on. This is crazy. I just hatched a barn yard mutt and tonight i'll put it with her and see if she takes to it.

 

[Carole AM]

I hate to admit it, but I lost a turkey hen that way. She refused to get off her nest, even though it wasn't that long! She died on the nest, although I removed the bad eggs.

It was horrible! I'll never let them go longer again!

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
Let me know if she accepts him !!!!

 

[ChickyBabe]

I have a broody chicken, too and no mater what I do she won't move. I'd like to know what to do.

 

[swtangel321]

either give em baby chicks, or I just read a post that said dunk them in cold water, if the cold water doesnt work add ice and dunk again. A few people said it worked !!! Or the cage method !!!

 

[BikerBabeRules]

Okay, I had a barnyard mutt born this morning. I gave it to the turkey hen tonight about 8:30. I sat for an hour and watched. The turkey kept making this funny noise and pecking at the chick. Finally, she got up, looked under her to check her guinea egg and the little chick ran like a little mouse under her! She made sure her "golden" egg was okay and settled back down. All the while the little chick was chirping and she was making that funny noise. She kept shifting her weight and seemed resigned to the fact that this chick was under here, yet not seemingly to happy about it. I'll see what the morning brings. I may have to steal that guinea egg. If this doesn't work and she doesn't get off the nest, I may have to figure out some sort of cage method or kick her out of the barn for a night and mess up her nest so she wont' want it again.:| Will she start laying again do you think?