My First Broodie

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Jetsko
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My First Broodie

Post by Jetsko » Sat Jun 13, 2020 7:55 am

HI

I have my first broodie but she is sitting on an unfertilized egg (no roosters). I have a small coop with 4 hens, Gracie is a 1 yr old light sussex and has not left the nest for 3 days. The other girls respect her space & leave her alone.

What are my options.

Thanks
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Jaye
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Jaye » Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:20 am

It depends on what outcome you want. If you have room for more chickens, having a broody hen to take care of incubating, hatching and raising chicks is IMHO the best way to go. If this is what you want, buy some hatching eggs and replace the ones that she is sitting on with them.
If you don't want more chickens and want to break her broodiness, there are several methods.
1. remove any eggs she sits on and take her off the nest and put her outside with the others daily and often.
2. put her in a cage with wire bottom, provide food and water for a few days.

I have only ever used method number one with my broody. It takes longer, but that's the only method I'm comfortable with. There are a number of other suggestions out there on the internet that I definitely do NOT recommend, like dunking the chicken chest deep in a bucket of cold water, which frankly I think is inhumane.
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Jetsko
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Jetsko » Sat Jun 13, 2020 1:24 pm

I read about putting the hen in an elevated wire cage for two weeks with food & water - I'm not comfortable with that process at all. Gracie is a sweet, gentle girl, can't do that to her.

I removed her from the nesting box, took her egg & placed her outside with the others. She pooped (super gross amount), ate some & walked around for about an hour or so. Then she went back in & pushed one of the other girls out of a nesting box.

I have room for 2 more so I think I'm going to need to find a couple of fertilized eggs and let her hatch them. Hopefully she won't hatch any roosters that I will need to rehome.

Thank you
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Killerbunny
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Killerbunny » Sat Jun 13, 2020 2:51 pm

@Jetsko Please do not give her only 2 eggs. At her size she can manage 5-7 easily and that means you stand a better chance of a good hatch rate. you don't want 1 lonely chick because they don't integrate well with the flock. The poop certainly makes it sound like she has full broody hormones going.
Best of luck.
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Jetsko
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Jetsko » Sat Jun 13, 2020 8:33 pm

I was planning to add to my flock next year due to this year being covid crazy with everyone getting into chickens & hatching eggs. I'm not sure where I can find fertilized eggs from a quality source but will get 6 as per your advice.


Don't have a clue if it's better to get barnyard mix or purebred & if purebred - what breed will fit in well with these girls. Will start searching and at the same time will encourage Gracie to get outside to eat, drink, poop & use the dust bath. She was not happy being forced outside today but the 2nd time I took her out, she did enjoy her bath & did graze with the other girls for a while then back to the empty nest she went.
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Killerbunny
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Killerbunny » Sat Jun 13, 2020 8:58 pm

Whereabouts are you? Put a wanted in the SAles/Wanted section. SHe will figure out when she needs to go out for her neds. Broodies are a lot of fun.
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:iheartpto:
Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
:turkey:

:bat:

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Jetsko
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Jetsko » Sun Jun 14, 2020 6:30 am

I'm north of Belleville in the Foxboro area.
Gracie was roosting with the others this morning - not sure how strong her instinct is yet. She had been laying an egg then sitting on it for 24 hrs, then off for 24 - 48 hrs for a few weeks. This was the first time she sat on an egg for 3 days. I'm still not sure I want her to raise chicks this year.
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Kbr42 » Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:03 am

Jetsko wrote:
Sun Jun 14, 2020 6:30 am
I'm north of Belleville in the Foxboro area.
Gracie was roosting with the others this morning - not sure how strong her instinct is yet. She had been laying an egg then sitting on it for 24 hrs, then off for 24 - 48 hrs for a few weeks. This was the first time she sat on an egg for 3 days. I'm still not sure I want her to raise chicks this year.
Lots of folks in thus area. I have silkies. You are welcome to come and get a 1/2 eggs. There are other folks that have eggs. Pm me and we can chat.
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Jetsko » Mon Jun 15, 2020 3:22 pm

Gracie update

Saturday - I removed Gracie & her egg from the nesting box, replaced it with a wire crate with a floor covered in wood shavings. I removed Gracie an additional 3 times from the nest. She was not happy at all.
Sunday - I was slow in removing an egg from the other girls and Gracie covered it. I removed her, she wasn't thrilled but not as moody or vocal as Sat. Gracie spent most of the day free ranging with the other girls & she roosted with the other girls both Sat & Sun night.
Monday - Gracie is out & about, not on the nest at all, even when eggs laid by other girls.

I will wait until Gracie lays an egg and see how she reacts. Hopefully this is it and I won't have to deal with any broodies until next year, when I want to add to my flock. Since my coop has limited space & hubby refuses to add a 2nd coop (so far). I'm trying to space my girls 2 years apart so that I have eggs even as they age and slow down.

Thank you to everyone who gave me advice as I dealt with my first kinda broody hen. As usually the advice & support was great.
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Jaye
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Re: My First Broodie

Post by Jaye » Mon Jun 15, 2020 3:52 pm

Sounds to me like she's done being broody. She should start laying again in the next few weeks. I don't think she'll set on the first eggs she lays ... it's doubtful that she'll go broody again so soon.
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RIP Scooby, AKA Awesome Dog. Too well loved to ever be forgotten. "Sometime in June", 2005 - January 24, 2017.
"Until one has loved an animal, part of one's soul remains unawakened" - Anatole France

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