jills Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Does anyone know at what age chickens can become broody? I got my two hens from Omlet on April 14th. Nessa started laying 2 weeks later, so has been laying for about 3 weeks now. For the last couple of days she has definitely been broody, needs turfing out of the nest box, ruffling feathers, very docile, not at all her usual self, but I'm sure she's not ill, just broody. I've tried locking her out of the Eglu, so she just sits on the floor of the run, have tried dunking in cold water, undignified but hasn't helped. She just seems very young to be broody, can only be about 28 weeks at most, she's not even fully grown. Does it matter, or am I (as usual) worrying needlessly! Where would I be without this forum, it has been invaluable these past 6 weeks!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 hiya she probably is broody - if she is only getting up for a half hour at most then that is likely. feel free to ask me questions as i have had a broody hen a few times so i recognise the symptons if you need more help! as for the age limit i don't think there is one. i hope i have helped and not confused you more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jills Posted May 24, 2008 Author Share Posted May 24, 2008 I'm sure she is broody, I've read everything I could find on the forum and she's displaying all the classic symptoms. I was just surprised because she seems so young. If you've had broody hens do you just leave them to it, or do you try anything to snap them out of it? I shut her out of the eglu cube so she couldn't get in the nest box and she managed to get on top of it looking for way in! Quite a flight for a hen with one wing clipped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 i encourage them to be broody because then i can hatch chicks! to put them off i would just kick them out of the coop everytime you catch them in there and give them lots of nice food when they arent in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 I think it's best to discourage them if you aren't going to let them have a family -- it's so sad to see them sitting on unfertilized eggs and not having any fun either. I had a Pepperpot who went broody when she was quite young, and whenever I let the hens out I took her out through the egg-port and put her on the grass, closing the Eglu door so she couldn't go back in. She would get over it quite quickly, and it was good to see her eat her pellets. It still lasted a few weeks, but in an on-and-off way: she stopped taking it so seriously. Just remember to open the Eglu door again before bedtime. I had a situation with four hens in a comatose state leaning up against the outside of the Eglu door in the half-dark, and it was tricky getting it open. One of them was too sleepy to take herself in, but it served me right having to crawl into the run to put her to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
