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

[likeastar--x]

my chicken just became broody and she wasnt exactly the others number one before. they bullied her previously but got on okay but now shes broody shes constantly being attacked, with red marks all over her comb.

 

weve tried the dunking in cold water and stuff to stop the broodyness, im getting so sick of it, and sick of that constant clucking! but its not working and shes just getting more and more isolated from everyone else

 

do chickens normally isolate or bully a broody chicken?

[Egluntyne]

They are probably fed up with her hogging the nest box.

 

 

Article about managing broody hens **here**

[redfrock]

it depends which of my broodies it is. Both the Silkie and the skyline get bullied but that is because they walk about puffed up, head down, wings out giving off serious PMT - basically they are not behaving like they would normally. The others who get broody are sooooo bad tempered that I think the others simply steer clear!

[bigmommasally]

My recent 2 broodies were definately bullied by the others. They are the lowest 2 in the pecking order anyway but the bullying stepped up a gear when they were broody.

I'd struggle to get them out the nesting box every morning to try and get them to eat and drink only to have top chook Maude chase them away from the food and leap on top of them. It was no wonder they preferred to be in the nesting box.

I wondered if it was because they spent so much time apart from the others that they were being treated as strangers?

If you can get them out of their broodiness the good news is that the bullying stops immediately.

 

The dunking in really cold water worked for mine, along with being shut out of the nesting box. Maybe gve it another go or try a broody cage as others have suggested.

 

Good Luck I hope you find an answer soon.

[Barkisland]

Mary, my Light Sussex, was top chook until she went broody, then she became so docile the others started to peck her and push her around a bit. She stands up for herself when she isn't broody, but she seems revert to broodiness at the first sign of a sunny day, so the pecking order is constantly changing in my little flock.

[likeastar--x]

thanks a lot for replying, i feel a bit more reassured now! shes such a tiny little thing i do worry were putting another nesting box in to let her get on with it this time, as i think it might be too late in the day to stop her.

 

do chickens get more broody more often this time of year? do they do it less in winter? xx