When it rains, it pours

[Auntie Moose]

I have three hens and right now the BO is broody, and I just noticed my Australorp has a clean (no feathers) hiney and she hasn't laid in about three days. I could not feel an egg. I soaked her for a bit in warm water and massaged her, and she took it okay. Otherwise she seems fine, foraging, eating, drinking, sticking around with her other favorite hen. The broody is banned from the coop (wire cage method) right now, so she has access to the nesting box. Ideas?

 

[Kiki]

Are you trying to break the broodiness?
Freeze some water in a large gallon zip lock, place it in the nest boxes.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Could the Lorp be molting?

 

[Auntie Moose]

Kiki, yes I am trying the crate method of breaking her brood. It's not working too well due to circumstances beyond our control, but I like the ice in bags idea! KindaFarmGal, I have not thought of her molting. Would it start on her rump? Sounds weird! She has also quit laying, after laying an egg a day for many months. The broody hen is about ten months old and the "molting" one is almost a year.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

It could. She could just be taking a break - laying is tough! Have you checked for external parasites - mites, lice?

 

[Auntie Moose]

It could. She could just be taking a break - laying is tough! Have you checked for external parasites - mites, lice?

I have checked her as much as she will allow without beating me with her wings! I found no parasites. She's real good about dirt bathing and I add DE to her dirt bath to help.

What happens if you can't break her broodiness? Will they eventually give up, or will it continue indefinitely?

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

I have checked her as much as she will allow without beating me with her wings! I found no parasites. She's real good about dirt bathing and I add DE to her dirt bath to help.

What happens if you can't break her broodiness? Will they eventually give up, or will it continue indefinitely?

Most will give up in a few weeks without eggs but sometimes you get a really stubborn one that'll go months. It's not healthy for them to be broody so long, plus you lose from it if you're not hatching. Have you thought about a wire cage?

 

[Auntie Moose]

Most will give up in a few weeks without eggs but sometimes you get a really stubborn one that'll go months. It's not healthy for them to be broody so long, plus you lose from it if you're not hatching. Have you thought about a wire cage?

A wire cage is what I'm doing now. Not very helpful so far, but it has only been two days.