Think one of the girls is broody

[OverWyreGrower]

What should I do?

When I went to lock them up tonight (they're in the greenhouse) one of the girlies was sat in the nest box, not on her perch. She was sat on 3 eggs.

Usually the eggs are laid all over the nest box, but these were in a "clutch".

I just gently moved her and picked up the eggs.

This is 2nd time this week she's been like this.

Should I just carry on taking the eggs and not leaving her to sit on any? (we've no cockerel, so no babies)

[bigal123_123]

Take her off and put her outside every time you find her sitting, Do's she peck at your hand as you take the eggs, No point in a broodie if you dont have a cock or planning on having her bring up a clutch.

[Birdie Wife]

Hi OWG,
Keep taking the eggs every day or as soon as you see them - leave her nothing to sit on. Depending on her persistence, she may decide to brood sawdust at some point but different hens have different levels of broodiness so she may decide to snap out of it herself. If she starts sitting tight and not coming out for food or water, then there are more drastic steps you can take, but it involves a certain amount of 'cruel to be kind'. What sort of hen is she? Has she been broody before?

[OverWyreGrower]

Thanks!

She's a Warren (hybrid for laying). They're not supposed to be as bad for broodiness as other breeds.

She's only about 9 months old and hasn't been broody before.

Happy to say they all raced out of the house for food and carrots this morning! Will keep taking the eggs away though!

[Polly Fouracre]

Hybrids will sometimes "roost" in the nest-box,being dimmer than your average bird so maybe this is what she is doing,You will have to teach her to perch by lifting her onto the perch(if they have one) after they have gone to roost.

[kirsty b]

A couple of my hybrids used to roost in the nest box but I spent a few days moving the nest box to different places everyday and now I'm pretty sure they all roost up on the bars.

[Birdie Wife]

I've heard of some hybrids going broody and even raising chicks - not very often but it does happen! I don't think they are particularly dim, many chickens don't like perching. Most ex-battery hens have to be shown how because they've never had the opportunity to roost on a perch before.

[kirsty b]

Very true BW. The first couple of nights I had to lift them up, but they did catch on pretty quick. Roosting in the nest box isn't a bad thing as such, but it does mean lots of poo in the box!

[jeannine]

We've only had our girls for 6 weeks or so and they always roost in the nest box, but I've let them do that as they're ex bats and had hardly any feathers at first and I think it was much warmer in there for them.
6 weeks on they're all feathery and gorgeous. Is it too late to start getting them to roost on a perch?

[Birdie Wife]

I wouldn't have thought it would be too late, they probably just haven't realised what the perch is for! If you open the coop at night when they're dozy, gently pick them up and put them on the perch, after a few times they should figure it out themselves. Its much better to get them perching because it means your eggs won't have mess on them when they get laid in the nestbox. Do you have some before and after pics of your girls now?

[jeannine]

Thanks for that BW, I'll try that approach tonight.

I'll get Paul to put some 'after' pics in the next issue of Grow. Delicious (who looks very straggly in the last issue) is very beautiful now and a complete joy to be around. If I'm weeding she often tries to get on my lap. I think she likes to 'supervise' everything I do in the garden as she knows I keep turning up tasty treats for her.

[Polly Fouracre]

Another point. If your hen house has bits of 1x1 for perches,you may want to sand down the edges. It must be very uncomfortable trying to grip the sharp edges.