quokkagirl Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Hi, I'm a newbie to chicken keeping. I have four hens. Up until the heatwave last week, they were all laying beautifully. Then two of my girls (1 cream Legbar and 1 silver Wyandotte) almost simultaneously have gone broody. We're just letting them get on with it as it seems the kindest thing to do - getting them out regularly for food and water and removing eggs. They seem happy enough and well. Funny thing is, the other Legbar has gone completely off lay. The little Poland crested is still muscling into the nest box to lay although there isn't much room in the cube nestbox for more than two laying at a time but the (still) out and about Legbar just isn't laying. She's not laying anywhere else and she seems fine otherwise but I wondered if this is normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kopperdrake Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Our Light Sussex have a tendency to do this too - at this time of the year the most motherly go broody and often a few others will just take a break from laying. I've never really panicked about it if there's no other reason for them doing it, and just put it down to the fact everyone likes a break I do get a bit nervous at the start up of egg production again, with the problems that can arise, but I've found the pure breeds we have to be far less susceptible to broken or soft eggs, than the hybrids. The Light Sussex girls just tend to poke a couple of smaller ones out at first, then back into laying. And I've never had a Light Sussex suffer from broken eggs internally - they just seem to stop laying and decide it's time to retire - who said chickens are daft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Some pure breeds just don't lay all that much. I have a Wyandotte bantam who only ever lays ten or so eggs in early spring, then a few more around now. Then that's it. Not broody, perfectly healthy, just no eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quokkagirl Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 Thank you. That's helpful. All seem happy which is the important thing I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Could she be laying elsewhere, like round the garden? My daughter is taking care of the hens while I am away, and reported a broody (now in the broody cage and a drop in egg production... The moody sitter had been putting the others off laying in the nest boxes, and they had taken to making nests around the garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kopperdrake Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 That's a good point. My wife went to pick some rhubarb yesterday and found six duck eggs hiding under the rhubarb leaves! And we thought they'd been taking a well-earned break Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quokkagirl Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 Thank you all for your comments. There are no eggs or nests appearing anywhere but a good tip for others. The one broody hen has come out of brood and is still laying sporadically. Her partner in crime who was a good layer, seemed very put out by it all and hasn't laid since her pal went into brood, even though she's returned. They are a family unit really, and when one is off their normal routine, they all seem to be affected more than a little. It's rather nice, really, to see the unity, and how they slip into like-minded behaviours. In the meantime, another hen (silver laced Wyandotte) has gone into brood. I think it's just something we have to put up with. I'm letting her get on with it, removing the eggs when they are laid and getting her out regularly to eat and have a stretch. We did all the short sharp shock things recommended by current thinking in the first few days, but it somehow seems cruel to try to short circuit what is, after all, a hormone thing which will pass. All things will pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Ok, so daughter was less than prompt about sorting them out, so i am back to 2 broodies who haven't been feeding, and have lost weight first one has done her 3 days in the cage of shame, and us happily running around the garden this morning. T'other just gone in this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kopperdrake Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 "Cage of Shame" - love it Has anyone tried the aspirin method of breaking broodiness? I think it works on the basis of lowering the body temperature, which is elevated in broody chickens. I've never used it, and don't really like the idea of popping pills into my chooks needlessly, but I'm curious if anyone has tried it? I'd rather pop them in a draughty cage, but in reality we just keep taking them off the nest until they give up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Personally, I wouldn't want to try it, for roughly the same reasons as you. Broody cage works wonders for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
