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Tottya

?Ill or broody?!

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:wink: Hello!

 

This is my first posting and an important one too! I have been using these very usefull boards for all the information I have needed since Easter. But this time Im stuck! So hopeing someone will spare time to read and suggest whats the matter please :oops:

 

One of my Silkies BeeBoo for 3 days has been what i thought was broody lounging around coming out for very breif periods for food/water. But yesterday afternoon did not come out not even for her favorite treat :cry: So I spent hours last night you know how it is trawling on here and other internet chook sights to see what could be wrong I was extremely worred it was Egg Bound but today I gave her a bath in warm water felt her tum and no solidness of an egg in there, She has not laid for 3 days either, her Poops are normal solid ones. Checked her back passage for worms/mites/messeyness but shes very clean. Also dont know if im paranoid but it seemed to be pulsating lots it may allways do this or its maybe the fact theres something wrong :? No redness or swelling there either. Anyone any ideas?!?!? Do i just need to give her a cold shower? Do broody hens stop laying? Im confused :shock:

 

Many thanks sorry for ramblingbut you know how it is!

 

Sam

x

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Hello and welcome to the forum. :lol:

 

The vent does pulsate so that is nothing to worry about.

 

If she is broody, she will puff herself up and look like a giant pompom, and will change temperament and become rather snappy and pecky, and will also make growly noises.

 

She will be very reluctant to come off the nest and will go back to it at the earliest opportunity.

 

They do stop laying if the have been broody for any length of time, and they eat and drink very little so lose condition.

 

There is some info **here** about how to deal with a broody.

 

Edited for hideous typo.

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broodies do stop laying.

 

I currently have 2 broody hens at the moment. The signs are - laying flat like a pancake and feeling very warm underneath and when you approach them on the nest they "puff up" like big balls and make weird noises. They will sit on the nest all day if they could.

 

If your hen is broody - try to keep her out of the nest box as much as possible, when your other hens have laid - shut the door.

 

good luck :wink:

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hi Im not really that experienced but two of my hens are broody at the moment and I know that they havent laid since, so I can tell you they dont lay if they are broody but I would just keep an eye on her and check she is eating something and drinking.

You sound like you are doing the best you can.

Someone else may have some better advice x

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Hi, glad you have joined in on the forum, welcome aboard.

 

I would always assume illness unless you are sure it's broodiness. If she is passive when you lift her off the nest I would think she feels unwell. A broody hen will fluff up & growl and resist being moved, it's usually apparent by the noise or aggression. If she is silent & doesn't resist she's not well.

 

The bath & inspections sound good. First aid is make sure she is drinking enough & eating. If her comb is hot she has a temperature.

 

She may be about to lay a softie (shellless egg). This can make them feel wretched until it is expelled.

 

I would keep up the care that you have been & review whether she becomes better or worse. Even a box of straw indoors can be good for an invalid. Best wishes, & do let us know what you decide from this. :D

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:lol: Thank you for the very quick replies and the wellcomes!

 

Well im ver sure BeeBoo is broody and have turfed her out of her accomadation much to her disgust!! Everytime she sees one of us go out or looking out the window she starts making a fuss and walks backwards and forwards past the entrance that I have blooked off!! I love my chicks even my DH admitted today hes become quite attached. And Beeboo looks quite georgeous now with her white Silkie feathers all washed and cleaned a right fluff ball!!

 

Thank you once again im soo much happier now I know Ill be able to sleep tonight! As last night I was up till 130 on the internet and really wanted to get her and give her a bath and a good prod then but knew I couldnt!! I couldnt wait to get at her this morning with my johnsons and my sterile gloves :shock::shock:

 

Until the next time!

 

Sam

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I've just read this and I'm not sure what to do. Our light sussex, Shirley, has been in the nesting box for about 3 hours now. She's usually our best layer but over the last few days she's only laid softies, yesterday 2 of them. This all seemed to date back to when we had a thunder storm that went on all evening so I wondered if it had maybe upset her.

 

I've just been to have a look at her and she is all puffy and making strange noises. I thought utility chooks didn't get broody?

 

But I would rather she was broody than ill. Do I just leave her or make her get out?

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I would turf her out :) . Unless you want to have no eggs for a few weeks :wink: . Molly went broody recently so I kept shoving her off the nestbox as quickly as I could (even if she hadn't laid - she only missed 2 days laying as I think we got to her quickly enough). When they were free-ranging I closed the run door as she was so desperate to get back in. I also dunked her in a bucket of water a few times a day. We may just have been lucky but it seemed to work!

 

Welcome to the forum, Tottya :D . Hope you get your fluffy girl sorted! She sounds lovely :) .

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Sorry to butt in on your post Tottya but it was such a similar situation. Shirley has now emerged from the nesting box and did leave behind an egg but I think we'll keep an eye on her for the next few days in case she's becoming a bit broody. Hope Beebo settles down again soon.

 

I couldn't believe what you were saying, ANH about dunking your chook in water!!! :shock::shock::shock: Is that really what you're supposed to do? Shirley would never speak to me again! :D

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I couldn't believe what you were saying, ANH about dunking your chook in water!!! :shock::shock::shock: Is that really what you're supposed to do? :D

 

Before you go reporting poor ANH to the authorities....yes...it is one of the tried and tested methods for "breaking" a broody...all of which can seem a bit heartless, but are done with the best of intentions. :lol::lol:

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Hi Rolo butt in all you like thats what this is all about helping each other out! :wink: I now realise for a week before she started to properly nest she was reluctant to leave her egg and would peck us when we removed her egg this was the sign that I missed :( But i Will know for next time thats for sure!

 

2 days being booted off the nest and shes still trying to brood!! Wish she would hurry and cool her self down, shes so Moody too soo funny!!

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Mmm. Yes - Shirley's pretty much the same too. I found another softy in the run today and she was very reluctant to leave the nesting box. I've forced them all to free range and shut the coop door and she looks happy enough. Thankfully she's our most amenable chook and doesn't seem to get in a tizzy about anything.

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