Single hen

[milliemoo]

Hi everyone

 

I am looking for a bantam for my little girl to add to our isa warren - scarlett (and another large layer on its way). I am researching and most of the bantams that are great for kids are also broodies and wonder how much of a problem this really is. I'm only used to rhode island crosses and isas (both of the larger disposition!) and so have never tackled the broody business before and just wondered if it was something to be concerned about or not. I also fancy an orpington next but they too have a tendency to go broody so I don't know if i'm letting myself in for hard work???? Anyone any advice???????x x x

[Chickens@61]

my little girl (8 today!) has two bantams, it seems that most weeks of the year one (if not both ) of them is broody!

 

it is like a constant battle at the moment, trying to break the habit when they first show signs of wanting to sit in the nest box all day!

 

when they are broody, they need a little more tlc in my experience (more at risk of mites, not so bothered about eating/drinking, etc.) and obviously egg production stops.. if you are not too worried about reliable egg laying, i would say go for it - they are great pets

[BeckyBoo]

I don't think I would avoid a breed because they had a tendency to go broody, out of all my different types of hen only one goes broody regularly. That said I do think broody is a problem unless you have seperate housing or want to hatch with them. My speckledy is a pain in the proverbial when she decides to sit. She's foul tempered, persistent, stubborn, viscious, she stops laying which isn't a major drama but because she sits in the nest gradually everyone else gets kicked out and before you know it they've all come out in sympathy and Ta Da! No eggs from anyone!

So as I said, I wouldn't avoid a breed just because some go broody but having a broody hen can be a bloomin' nuisance in my opinion

 

BeckyBoo

[Yolky]

If you have an eglu so only one nest box it is a pain. One of my girls went broody last year and it took her ages to snap out of it despite isolating her in the run so she couldn't get to the nest box. When she was in the nest box the other two chooks used to have to try to shove her aside to lay and sometimes they would have to lay on the roosting bars. Also collecting eggs layed by the others was hard as the broody hen used to scoop them under her all the time.

[One_Box]

OH has 6 bantams and Babs a tiny Rosecomb has been broody for weeks and shows no sign of giving up

 

Last year they all went broody at one stage or another and we purchased a broody ark to deal with the problem - in our experience moving them and feeding corn for the duration was a great help.

 

Bantams and full size chooks can get on, it so depends on the individual birds. I would certainly urge caution though if you intend to house them together.

 

Aggie (OH's top chook) would always boss my girls around when free ranging in the garden until my ex-batts arrived. She made the mistake of taking on Dora who is normally good tempered but will not put up with challenges to her authority

End of communal free ranging I'm afraid

[chelsea]

My speckledy is a pain in the proverbial when she decides to sit. She's foul tempered, persistent, stubborn, viscious, she stops laying which isn't a major drama but because she sits in the nest gradually everyone else gets kicked out and before you know it they've all come out in sympathy and Ta Da! No eggs from anyone!

 

Becky has hit the nail on the head really. My cochins are constantly broody, last year from March to September I think I could count the amount of eggs they laid on my fingers it was that low but it still wouldnt deter me from buying another cochin as their wonderful nature more than makes up for it. I do however find broody episodes trying an frustrating....as if both my girls are broody at the same time and the other girls want to lay there is an awful lot of noise - lucky if we are home because then we can remove the broody hens and let the layers get in, but when we are at work the noise carries on without us.

[Egluntyne]

They tend to be susceptible to redmite when they are broody, so that would need a watchful eye.

 

When you hope for a broody hen, they don't happen..