Why are my chickens going broody?

[gretchenhau]

Why did 3 of my chickens, 2 silikies and one RIR go broody, they have a pile of eggs, my silkies go to the back of the box, shich makes room for another chicken to lay in front of them, then the silkie steals the egg so to speak. The 3 of them are on 17 eggs, only 3 of which are silkies. I am at wits end, this is in 5 days. I would like to have eggs to eat,

I can't bild new boxes, it took forever to get these built and ones they will actually use.

Will the rest of them go broody, will I get any eggs?

Will any of these hatch?

I have 3 assorted roosters and23 assorted hens.

 

[pixie74943]

not letting eggs build up in the first place will help stop them going broody

and they're silkies.. it was bound to happen

take them off the nest, put them in a wire bottom cage (if you can). if not, take them off the nest regularly, lock them outta the coop, and DONT let them have any eggs.

or let them have some and hatch them.. they'll get off the nest then

 

[LilBizzy]

I wish I knew why they go broody. Not all chickens will go broody. Some just don't care to hatch eggs, while others get totally determined to hatch something. In my bantam pen I have 1 who finally stopped being broody, and 3 others took her place. So, there are no eggs- 2 chickens are squished in the "nextbox" trying to hatch pine chips, and the other is trying to hatch a 2x4!!

When they are broody, they stop laying eggs. Even when they hatch eggs, or stop being broody, they will not lay eggs for a while.

That actually sounds cute- the silkie stealing the eggs after they are lain. My first broody would pace back and forth waiting for someone to lay an egg , which she would jump on as soon as the chicken left the nest.


The eggs may or may not hatch. If you want eggs, not baby chicks, the best thing to do would be take the eggs away. And keep taing the eggs away. Some recommend you put them in a wire cage, so they can't nest, and that will break them from being broody. My first broody I would remove her from the nest every morning and afternoon, and it took 6 weeks before she finally gave up. The wire cage might be better.

 

[gretchenhau]

The day I realized they may be being broody was probably the 2nd day, the first day I thought they were laying. On the second day I thought it was odd, but one had the RIR in front, so I couldn't see the silkie inback. So by day 3 I figured it out, and then there were 17 eggs between them. I would like to mark the eggs so I can snatch the newer eggs, any suggestions on what to mark with.

i don't want any more under them.

and I don't want any other chickens to go broody.

Are silkies naturally that broody?

argh

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Yup. I've heard them described as broody more often than they are laying.