4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[jjo5555]

We had our second fox attack a few weeks back. Middle of the day in bright sunlight. He got our favourite chicken, a very friendly and pretty Isa Brown Warren. We replaced her with two new babies so now have the 4 girls.

 

They now stay in the big run (a great buy from Aviaries4u) and are only allowed out when we are in the garden.

 

But since the attack the two older girls are exhibiting unusual behaviour:

 

Chicken 1: Laying daily but super super broody - we have to pick her off the nesting area daily for a run around and she soon returns. How long should this last?

 

Chicken 2: Not laying at all. Is this a result of shock or of the other one monopolising the nesting area? If shock how long will this last? It has been around 3 to 4 weeks already.

 

Otherwise they look very healthy.

 

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

Jason

[Egluntyne]

Sounds like a bit of both. I would sort the broody out and see if it makes a difference to the other one, although I'm not sure that they can resist the urge to lay if there is an egg imminent.

 

Article **here** about managing broodies.

[jjo5555]

Thanks for that.

 

Reading that post about broody chickens has now confused me.

 

We are 99% sure the Broody one is the one that is laying daily and the non-broody one is in shock and not laying. But the post seems to suggest you can't be broody and laying!!!???

[Hangman]

Broody hens have a different ratio of hormones than the non-broodies, hence they don't lay.