Why is my chicken behaving like this

[Ca63]

Hi
I have a broody hen who is doing well on her eggs, fertilizer eggs as I don't have a cockerel. One of my hens is behaving oddly and keeps trying to get into the coop and force herself under the broody hen. I have had to lock her out of the coop and this is stressing her. I thought at first she was trying to get to the eggs and peck them but this doesn't seem to be the case. Any idea what is going on and how I can stop it. I provided some no fertilised eggs in a different box for her but she is not interested.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi
I have a broody hen who is doing well on her eggs, fertilizer eggs as I don't have a cockerel. One of my hens is behaving oddly and keeps trying to get into the coop and force herself under the broody hen. I have had to lock her out of the coop and this is stressing her. I thought at first she was trying to get to the eggs and peck them but this doesn't seem to be the case. Any idea what is going on and how I can stop it. I provided some no fertilised eggs in a different box for her but she is not interested.

Firstly, welcome to BYC!

Secondly, is your broody doing her thing in a nest box? If she is, she could be in "the" nest box and you other girl just wants to lay there.

 

[Nutcup]

I have a 5 year old Cochin hen that screams almost like a peahen. She bellers in the morning and evening like a rooster. She drives me nuts, I can't go out into the yard without her noise. If I'm out with them, she's normal, unless I'm in the vegetable garden, then she's constantly calling to me. She stands at the back door and calls to me! However, of the 3 I have left, she is the most industrious, and still lays about 5 hard shelled lovely brown eggs a week. I have to tell her "No, I'm not sleeping in the coop tonight."

 

[Ca63]

Firstly, welcome to BYC!

Secondly, is your broody doing her thing in a nest box? If she is, she could be in "the" nest box and you other girl just wants to lay there.

Hi
Thank you for your speedy response. She is laying outside the nesting boxes however, this is where they all sleep but there is still room for them. We even extended the coop but they still all go there. Interestingly I noticed she was trying to pull the eggs from under her, so I put a couple of eggs into a smaller box we have built for mum and chicks and put her over there, and she sat on the eggs for a while and this seemed to settle her. I have noticed they are all having a go now at sitting on them but I do not think they are truly broody. I have had to lock the doors of the coop for an hour each day just to give mum peace.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi
Thank you for your speedy response. She is laying outside the nesting boxes however, this is where they all sleep but there is still room for them. We even extended the coop but they still all go there. Interestingly I noticed she was trying to pull the eggs from under her, so I put a couple of eggs into a smaller box we have built for mum and chicks and put her over there, and she sat on the eggs for a while and this seemed to settle her. I have noticed they are all having a go now at sitting on them but I do not think they are truly broody. I have had to lock the doors of the coop for an hour each day just to give mum peace.

Yes, it sounds like this other girl is trying to steal mom's eggs and that she is thinking about being broody as well.
Do you have a small wire dog crate to break her or are you willing to set up a second maternity ward for her to hatch a clutch of eggs?

 

[aart]

Yes, it sounds like this other girl is trying to steal mom's eggs and that she is thinking about being broody as well.
Do you have a small wire dog crate to break her or are you willing to set up a second maternity ward for her to hatch a clutch of eggs?

Could use the wire dog crate to either break her broodiness,
or use as a protected place to set without harassment.

 

[Ca63]

yes, I can set up another maternity ward. I have tried candling some of the eggs and some do not look that promising to be honest but I would buy her some day-old chicks if I can because she is constantly broody so I think it would be terrible for her to sit so long with nothing to show for it. But if the other goes broody I would set her up with eggs. I have discovered an additional problem today and that is one or more of the hens is eating the laid unfertilized eggs, so I need to get to the bottom of that too. Honestly, I have four hens, when I had fourteen I had fewer problems lol.

 

[LeggyLeghorn]

I have a very similar situation going on with my two hens. One has been brooding now for about 10 days. hasn't left the coop. hasn't left the eggs. the other gal decided she wanted to be broody about 5 days ago, and squeezed her bum in the nest bay along side the initial broody hen.

the second hen came up for air the other day, only for about an hour. and then went straight back to the coop to squeeze herself right in there.

I do not know if the eggs are fertile. Morty seems to be doing his job. however he is a bit bored as both of his girls, the only girls, are sitting up in the coop. He will come with me to the coop when I go to inspect.

I just tried to reach in and look at an egg/s. and this is the look i got...

 

[LeggyLeghorn]

 

[aart]

I do not know if the eggs are fertile.

At 10 days candling them should tell the tale...have you been removing any new ones laid in the nest?