Why did my Cochin pull feathers?

[Triplecross]

She's 6 1/2 months old and today when I gathered her egg I saw lots of feathers in her nest. Is she moulting so early? Or is she going to go broody soon?

There has never been a feather in there before and at first I though an animal got a hold of her! (I lost a silkie to a hawk yesterday so I'm a bit on edge)

 

[junebuggena]

Looks like she is getting ready to go broody.

 

[Triplecross]

So I guess I should keep her eggs out there if I want her to hatch them. I have a few wooden eggs I could put there as a test.

 

[junebuggena]

Don't leave any eggs in the nest until she is truly, full-on broody. If she really is going to go broody, she won't care if there is anything under her or not.

 

[Triplecross]

Ok, good to know. I've started reading about broodiness on here too. It's supposed to be very cold in 5 days, I hope she waits till after this weather snap!

 

[donrae]

You might not want her to go broody this time of year, depending on your set up. If not, look into threads about breaking a broody hen.

If you do want her to go broody, go ahead and start collecting the eggs you want her to hatch, but don't leave them in the nest yet. Use those wooden eggs as bait. Once she's spent at least two nights in a row on the nest, then you can give her the eggs you want her to hatch. They don't have to be her eggs, she'll set on any eggs. Or, if you don't want to deal with cockerels, she'll happily set on those wooden eggs for about 3 weeks...that's when the feed stores here will start having chicks--not sure about your area. You could then buy sexed pullets and graft them to her and she'll raise them for you.

 

[Triplecross]

Thx both of you for helping me

My fear is, if I break her now, she won't brood later. Isn't that common?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most broody hens, when broken of it will be right back at it with 2 months, one month to resume laying than another month to start clutching up again.

 

[donrae]

I hate breaking a broody also, but I've found those dedicated ladies like Cochins and silkies always come back to broodiness. Some folks don't agree, but when I want one to go broody I either bait the nest with fake eggs or mark some sacrifice eggs as bait and let a little clutch build up in the nest. My feelings is the feel of a group of eggs underneath her when she goes to lay can help trigger the hormones to brood. I don't have absolute proof that it works, but it doesn't hurt and I have pretty consistent broodies.

 

[Triplecross]

Thanks you both! I'd love to have a broody hen! There is something so adorable about little chicks peeping out of mom's feathers

Right now she hasn't started sitting yet. I will break her if I must and encourage her in a few months when it's warmer.