Our broody has finally rejoined the flock.
It took a good two months, but she seems fine and her comb is perking up and getting redder (it turned pink when she was broody and not laying).
We never did anything to break her of it, and it turned out okay.
I’ve been out talking to them a lot today. I confess I fuss at my hens quite a bit, things like, “Why are you so doggone noisy today?” “What is your problem?” and “Why can’t you lay over there? It’s a perfectly good nest?”
The last comment has to do with their preference for one spot to lay, despite the prevalence of nesting boxes. They beleaguer each other waiting impatiently for a vacancy and, like I keep telling them, it is so unnecessary.
In case there was any doubt in your mind, they may hear me, but they seldom take my advice.
To the hens, I’m that entity who comes barging over to nag at them, but I also bring treats, so they don’t know which to expect.
Crazy chicken lady. That’s me.
some of my coworkers were recently discussing the getting of a flock and making up what they thought were the silliest thing a crazy chicken lady might do with her hens. they didn’t manage to come up with one thing that i didn’t already do. “haw haw! you could nap in your hammock with your hens!” i do that. 🙂
Thanks for the update on your broody hen. I’m glad it had such an easy-on-everyone happy ending.
I miss being a crazy chicken lady…
from one CCL to another, i feel so remorseful to “steal” the eggs under our one brooder. thinking of buying some chicks to make her feel better 🙂
I’m glad your broody hen is ok…i read somewhere else that if you get a broody hen you can get eggs for them to hatch…perhaps something to try if you ever get worried in the future.
Hi CCL, If I may share with you what my dad taught me growing up on the farm. When the hens don’t want to lay where you want them to, get a few fake eggs and place them where you want the hens to lay. You must destroy the other nest or put something over it so they no longer have access to it. Now given that there were no fake eggs in the 50’s and 60’s, my dad used old white doorknob ends and it worked like a charm and had them laying where he wanted them to within a short time. I put this to use and got laughed at when I had all kinds of chickens on my own farm as an adult but the last laugh was mine when it worked and my husband saw for himself it works. If you feel comfortable trying this I would reccommend it but it may take a little longer if they have used that spot for a very long time. Iwish you luck in your laying hen dilema.
Alice–Thank you. I’m going to try that. I always wanted to get a couple of those fake eggs anyway, now I have an excuse.
Gotta tell you one of my Grandmother Icy Vance’s laying tricks: In order to get the chickens to lay in nesting boxes where SHE wanted them to, she would put in carved wooden eggs, complete with well-worn paint. When no more of those were available, or affordable, she would use (get this) porcelain door handles (porcelain part only). These worked remarkably well, although there were some that just never did catch on.
I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when I was at a public library with well tumbled and rounded stones that were well, about egg size. Funny that I should be reminded of a childhood memory right before seeing this post. If it works, let me know. Icy would like to know!
Oops! I just saw that Alice posted a similar idea~
Would plastic Easter eggs work too?
😎
I heard golf balls work too. Mine all fight over the same laying box, even though there are plenty to go around. Silly girls.
Hi TL! Got a question. I’m a first time chicken owner and got my chicks from a friend from a friend who said they sexed them but we’re not sure now. They are 6 weeks old now and too cute! Since I’m already attached to them, I hate to ask but when\how can you tell if she is a he? Can’t have roosters and I did read the signs that the comb would be more colorful, more colored feathers, etc. Mine are Easter Eggers or that’s what the friend of a friend said :S. None of the four act dominant yet so we don’t have a queen 🙂 but one who was the runt had a sudden growth spurt and in 1 week caught up to the rest. Now “she” makes this screeching sound every once in awhile – could it be an attempt to crow or just bossing the others around? They are just now developing the comb. Thanks!
dana–Here’s a discussion on the subject at the Backyard Chickens forum:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=156577
I hope yours is a hen so you can keep it. They are sweet birds. I love my EE’s. It may be a few weeks yet before you can tell for sure.
Thanks! I did some research and last night I took each chick in my hand and turned them over and non fought so hopefully she passed that test! I don’t see spur development yet, she’s not aggressive towards the others, I don’t see that her legs are longer or that she hold herself more upright, her head seems just as round as the other girls and take a look at her mug – she’s a little camera shy but check out the comb coming in! None of my others look like this! Ooops, trying to attach a pic and it won’t let me 🙁
dana–Sounds hopeful. Sorry no pic. I don’t know why it won’t let you. She (knock on wood) sounds like a cutie.
Was so excited to learn about back yard chickens when I found your website. I immediately called our City Hall to discover the hen house or coop has to be 100 feet from the house! Aggghhh! I guess no chicks for us, seeing as we live in a typical central Florida small yard neighborhood! 🙁
sunshine kisses–To me, City Hall sounds like Cinderella’s stepmother who said she could go to the ball, PROVIDED she jumped through several impossible hoops. You might see if you could gather up local support to change things? Many municipalities are changing the rules these days.
I always leave a golf ball in each nest. Then the girls know where to go to lay their eggs. Plus the hens who don’t know what an egg is yet are not so curious once the eggs start showing up. The last thing you want is for a hens curiosity to accidentally peck an egg and get the taste for eating your beloved eggs. Thats impossible to stop with out kicking the offender from the coup…
Have never had a group of hens who’d lay in seperate boxes – no they all want to lay in the same one, which is where all the noise and argy-bargy comes into play early-mid morning!
And don’t feel bad – I talk to my girls too. Fuss at them when they make a mess (often), talk soothing to them when they seem to be off colour, and try to “speak chicken” when I’m throwing out scraps or feed. They kind of look up at me like, “Don’t try to talk like us, it’s just embarassing”. lol
Sometimes for a persistently broody hen you have to get some fertilised eggs and just let her hatch them out (if you don’t have roosters) – she just wants to be a mama! It’s either that or bring herfood and water regularly, else she’ll brood herself to death. I’ve only ever been successful getting a hen un-broody a couple of times by putting her in a small enclosure with no way to get comfortable – and felt terrible about it the whole time. I know that bone deep need to be a mama all too well – it’s uncomfortable enough to not be able to “hatch any out” let alone no way to make a nice nest……