Broody Hen

LittleMissHen · **Posted:** Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:40 pm

The last couple of days Babs refuses to get off the nest and growls at me when I lift her out. There are other nesting boxes for the other chooks to lay their eggs but she seems to have picked the favourite one. This is interfering with the others laying their eggs because if one of them are on the nest she kicks them off and will sit there literally all day. I would like to know what I should do about it, will she snap out of it or does this mean she is at the end of her laying days. All info is greatly appreciated. dh8989u9

Y.barnesy · **Posted:** Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:35 pm

My Bertha did the same thing when she went Broody so its not the end of Babs laying life

Bertha also stopped laying eggs has Babs done this?

What Babs wants to do is be clucky and be a mother.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Babs is broody. You can either get her some fertile eggs to sit on in a separate broody area or isolate her in a wire cage with food and water to literally cool off and snap out of being broody.

Broody hens do make purring clucking noises, peck you and do not lay eggs if they are inclined to sit and hatch and raise young.

andrewschookz · **Joined:** Fri Nov 30, 2012 2:11 pm **Posts:** 63785

Some peck hard and it hurts ouch!

Chukar · **Posted:** Sat Dec 07, 2013 1:36 pm

Really

I guess maybe if they pinch the skin conf665

LittleMissHen · **Posted:** Sat Dec 07, 2013 6:28 pm

Thanks everyone, I have closed the door to their hen house during the day for the last couple of days she seems to be getting better. She will let me pick her up and move her off the nest but complains a little. I'm afraid she will never get to be a mum whilst with us and that breaks my heart but maybe when she leaves us in a year or so to a farm she may well get to be a mum, but for now just have to keep her from sitting. Yes she has stopped laying her eggs but the other two are still happy to lay (thank goodness) but Babs is picking quite violent fights with our little bantum so I'm playing referee as well. Hopefully other couple of days should let her cool down enough for things to get back to normal. than657