Sarattie Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 no, just kidding, But my beautiful SL wyandotte bantam spends more time being broody than laying eggs, and put off the other two laying eggs as she hogs the nest box and random nest holes shes dug in the run. I have taken her out for days at a time, but i really dont have the space or capacity to have her separate completely. Ive resorted to locking them all out at night which worked a couple of times but now she just nests up outside. i crack the broodiness and then a week later she starts again!! Seriously...... never getting batms again..... grrrr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Oh dear!!! I do sympathise as my Molly drove me made with broodiness last year........in the end I gave in and let her hatch!!!! But broodiness isn't just for bantams you know!! Can you separate her completely, but within sight of the others? I use an anti-broody coop and it usually works But if you're that upset......maybe re-home her?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Are you sure she is keeping the others out of the nest box? I have a couple of Silkies one or other of whom are often broody and I find that the other hens are quite happy to squidge in next to them and lay their eggs (which the silkies then shuffle under their chest ) I always think that there is an exchange of gossip going on too with the layers keeping the broody up to date with who has found what worm, what wild bird has flown over, what the weather is like etc. etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennydavies Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 We have a broody, Fern, she is the first of my girls that has ever gone broody. The other girls just simply sit on her if she is hugging the "favourite" nestbox, sometimes she looks like she is wearing a feather "Davy Crockett" hat We turf her out about six times a day, it's been beautiful sunny weather here and while all the others are out in the garden enjoying sun bathing and dust baths she is squatting in the nestbox. I take her out with no aggresive behaviour at all (she happily clucks away to me as I carry her into the garden) plonk her down over the far side of the garden, but she soon makes her way back. I am benefitting from the extra exercise walking back and forth over 1/4 acre garden I am hoping she will snap out of it on her own accord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarattie Posted March 28, 2013 Author Share Posted March 28, 2013 I think te others must mustle in on her as today she was sitting on a couple of eggs when I turfed her off... Although I dont know how long she was sat on them keeping them warm so I didnt keep them. Im not sure how sat on eggs work, do they go bad quick? Is it likely that she will snap out of it? I have totally given up trying as I fail every time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Left to herself the mother hen's inclination would be to build up a nice clutch of eggs, then sit on them all together so that they hatch at the same time. Once she has started sitting on the egg(s), if firtile, the little chick would start to develope. If not firtile then obviously no chick would be starting up its little life but I don't know how long the egg would stay 'edible' while under the mother hen. Either way, if you don't want your broody to hatch out eggs, to discourage her, it is always best to remove the eggs each day and I would not leave an egg under her for longer than a day. However if left for a few hours or so you need not worry about the egg being 'bad'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 If you wanted to give in i could let you have some eggs let her hatch them then when shes fed up i would take them back no boys to worry about but im in hampshire leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
