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chicken sitting on nest « Thread Started on Oct 12, 2006, 7:41am »
I have one chicken sitting on her nest, we had to get her yesterday when they normally go in by themselves. Should I be concerned? She is sitting on her nest now, when she normally is out and about with the other two.
You can change your future by merely changing your attitude.
Joined: Jan 1970 Gender: Female Posts: 23,787 Location: Australia Karma: 17
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #1 on Oct 12, 2006, 11:51am »
She is what they call clucky.. or broody.. this is when a hen lays a certain number of eggs.. she then decides that she would like to hatch eggs.. and her body's system goes into overdrive.. hormones start to change...
Do you want her to hatch eggs or would you prefer her not to be broody
Either way we will help you ...
When they are boody they sit all day.. only getting up once or twice a day to eat and poop
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
Joined: Mar 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 18,382 Location: Southeast, USA Karma: 2
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #2 on Oct 12, 2006, 3:10pm »
if you don't plan on using a brooder for chicks..this time of year is not the best for hatching and letting hen raise the chicks,,...might be a little too nippy in Ohio....unless you have a good solid place where they can easily keep warm....
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #3 on Oct 13, 2006, 8:06am »
she layed one egg yesterday, when I checked today she hasn't layed any. We took her off the nest she has in the barn and put her in the coop. We do not have a rooster, so hatching is not going to happen. Is it normal for them to get broody, even if the eggs won't hatch? Yes it has flurried here today and its cold. I hate winter.
Joined: Mar 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 18,382 Location: Southeast, USA Karma: 2
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #4 on Oct 13, 2006, 2:17pm »
hens will go broody without a rooster..and no chance of a hatch... hopefully the move will break the mood...and she will start laying again in a day or so... please keep us updated...
the weather here is supposed to get real cold this weekend... too darn soon... hope it doesn't last...and warms back up for another month,.....or so...LOL
You can change your future by merely changing your attitude.
Joined: Jan 1970 Gender: Female Posts: 23,787 Location: Australia Karma: 17
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #5 on Oct 13, 2006, 6:19pm »
Ok.. here is some information about broody hens.. have a read of it .. and if you have any questions or queries.. ask ok
Unwanted Broody Hens
If you have chosen Rhode Island Reds or Light Sussex, you will inevitably be confronted with the problem of unwanted broodies They are a nuisance They will sit on the nest (ususally the most popular nest) preventing other birds from laying there They will not lay eggs them selves as long as they are broody Broodies will stay on the nest when others are out feeding They will stay there at night instead of roosting with the others They are aggressive to you if you go near the nest or try to move them They will puff up their feathers and squawk loudly at you when you come near They only get off the nest once or twice a day to eat and poop They tend to be aggressive towards other members of the flock and have fights They walk around going cluck cluck cluck … good tell tail sign they are clucky You may find your egg production has dropped and don’t know why
The Broody Cage
You will need to construct a broody cage, put the hen into it at the first sign of broodiness Don’t wait to let your suspicions be confirmed, you will notice small changes in her behaviour, trust your instincts or suspicions
The entire broody cage, including the floor, should be made of wire Collecting eggs will remove one of the stimuli to broodiness Broodiness is a hormonal change Warm dark nests bring it on, a clutch of eggs and warm weather So the broody cage should not have any of these aspects to it when constructed Food and water should be provided at all times (of course) The broody cage should also be in a light position, but not in the sun. Air must circulate all around the bird
If you haven’t got or can’t get a broody cage…. You need to isolate the bird into an area that allows her to eat and drink… NO NEST of any sort… if she sits in a corner … get her up and moving… keep her in this area without any nesting material… make sure she has shelter… food and water… not dark spots she can nestle in or a anything she can pretend is a nest… if you don’t she will remain broody for weeks sometimes even months
This will stop the bird from creating the necessary warm environment under her for hatching eggs After three or four days, she will be discouraged and give up But watch her very closely when you return her to the flock The nesting box is exactly the environment she is looking for, and it may make her go broody again
A persistent broody should be removed from the flock, and either given eggs to hatch or chickens to raise, or even be culled and eaten
Some of the old remedies say you should dunk the bird in cold water, this reduces her temperature and in two or three days she will go off being broody, but once again she must be separated from the rest of the flock and unable to nest anyplace, if she is kept on the move all day, all the better.
I find this method a little hard to handle, due to the fact that the chook could end up getting chilled and die, and then not only would you not have a chooks that didn’t lay eggs, but was dead and had to be replaced, just confining the hen away from the rest of the flock and not allowing her to nest anyplace gets the job done, all be it a little longer, 3 to 6 days depending on how clucky she is.
Once again, watch her closely when she returns to the flock, she could go straight back to the nest and resume where she left off, grab her immediately and continue to isolate her, what ever you do, don’t just leave her sitting on the nest for the day, or “You’ll be sorry”.
Extra Cages Keep a couple of single and double cages on hand at all times If you end up with an ailing chook and need to keep it separated from the others
We don't always want to have our hens hatching eggs. When we want to stop one, this is called "breaking up" a broody. Sometimes just putting her in a pen where she can't see her old nest and keeping her there for 4 days will do the job. She should, of course, have feed and water. Some strong broodies will just continue to set even in a pen with no eggs. For the more stubborn hen, a wire-bottomed cage is necessary.
The airflow up through the wire keeps her underside cool and after a few days she will usually give up. Again, she should have feed and water available at all times. Some commercial people and old-time chicken raisers deprive a hen of feed and water when trying to break her up, but this is cruel and also not good for the bird.
Lack of feed weakens an already weak bird (since they don't eat much when broody anyway) and lack of water for several days can damage the liver.
I just learned of another trick. Put a 'clutch" of ice cubes under her. Sometimes it'll take 2 "clutches" but it should cure her.
Some hens (especially Cochin bantams and Silkies) just don't want to quit. Another trick I've found that helps with these is to put them in a pen with nothing but feed, water and a very active young cockerel. He just won't let them sit there as he'll constantly be trying to mate them.
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #6 on Oct 19, 2006, 8:46am »
I am going to have to get two cages, we have another one that is broody. What fun. I shut the door to the coop and one of the girls was flying from coop roof to barn roof. This one just started so I keep the coop door closed. They can head into the barn for shelter if they need to.
You can change your future by merely changing your attitude.
Joined: Jan 1970 Gender: Female Posts: 23,787 Location: Australia Karma: 17
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #7 on Oct 19, 2006, 8:12pm »
If they go into the coop at night to sleep they will head straight for the nest.. and this will start them being broody all over again.. and it will just be a waste of your time and energy locking them out of the coop during the day
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
Joined: Jan 2005 Gender: Male Posts: 742 Location: Voluntown Connecticut Karma: 0
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #8 on Oct 19, 2006, 11:42pm »
lilfarmgirl- What I use as a broody pen is a dog kennel, each panel is a 6x6 and I use tarps to wrap it in, I use 2x2 as roosts and I have spare plywood as a roof. My pen is 12x6 and works great. Matters o fact I just let three broodies out, and am now using it for my new additions to the flock 12 golden comets. It does not give much protection from the cold but that is what you want unless it gets frigid, but that for the both of us is a month or so off.
The task is quite simple to count the number of seeds that is contained in an apple, but the task is much more difficult to count the number of apples that is contained in one seed
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 47 Location: West Midlands Uk Karma: 0
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #11 on Oct 22, 2006, 5:53am »
Oh you'll know they start acting like normal cute fluffy cuddly chicks not spitting hissing and swearing and making that horrible clucky sound..........you'll know. Kim
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOW what a ride!'
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #13 on Oct 22, 2006, 10:05pm »
can I put the cage in the coup at night? Its suppose to be in the low 30's upper 20's at night this week. Can more then one hen go into a cage. I know I have waited a while, but I just got a cage. I am going to put the cage on our porch during the day. That should give them plenty of air flow, and I can keep an eye on them.
You can change your future by merely changing your attitude.
Joined: Jan 1970 Gender: Female Posts: 23,787 Location: Australia Karma: 17
Re: chicken sitting on nest « Reply #14 on Oct 22, 2006, 10:19pm »
don't put more than one bird in each cage.. they throw tantrums when they are not allowed to sit on the nest... and they will attack each other if you put more than one bird into the cage
Can you put a tarp over them on the porch to keep out the cold night air..... I personally wouldn't put them into the coop at night time .. the other birds will sit on the cage and poop on them.. and you can't let them out into the coop to sleep they will head straight to the nest boxes as soon as they get the chance.. or first light
Remember to give them plenty of fresh food and water.. and you will have to tie down the food and water containers... they will constantly tip them over and spill them.. so don't just place them inside the cage and think that they won't do that ... they will
They will pace up and down.. and they will scream for 2 days... its very distressing hearing them.. you just have to ignore them ... make sure the surface of the cage is strong enough and the wire is thick enough that it can handle their weight and won't cut thier feet ... they will pace all day and at first light start pacing again
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
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