A long time broody!

[lettucegrow!]

OK I thought that this broodyness thing was supposed to last three weeks to the day and then we're all back to normal, (whatever that is) I know they haven't read the books but my Belinda is 4 days over her three weeks and she's quite thin now and I'd really like her to get out and and about a bit more! I've kicked her out of the nest box this evening and she's happily scratching around but I'm sure before long she'll be itching to get back in or found a temporary site. What to do??

[Bramble-Poultry]

giver her a few more days as chickens can;t count, but you may need to start discouraging her - where is she sat?

[RichmondHens]

Allow her at least 4 weeks, and she may continue to be persistent even after then. If you are very concerned about her weight loss then you will have to put her in the sin bin.

[lettucegrow!]

She tends to sit on the dirt right under the nest box but I've just been up the garden and she's still tearing around with the others.

[Bramble-Poultry]

result - maybe shes given up!

[Bephlam]

She wasn't sitting on eggs then I take it?

My girls didn't follow the rule either...Mavis was 3 weeks sitting on nothing before I gave in and gave her 7 eggs...she's now running around with 4 4 week old chicks...VERY happy and much friendlier than she's ever been!

Sin bin time, perhaps! Eeeeek!!

[lettucegrow!]

No . No eggs. but I am tempted for next time as she's obviously going to be good at the mummy hen thing. So, this sin bin thing, does it involve a dunces cap or what?!

[RichmondHens]

It's effectively a box or cage with a wire bottom so they can't get comfortable sitting and the air circulates underneath to literally cool them down (their body temp rises a little when they are broody). This box can be raised off the ground on blocks (if it's freestanding) or if you have a larger walk-in type house, suspended from the ceiling (a small dog/puppy cage would be ideal). Attach feeder and drinker to the sides and leave the hen in there for at least 3 or 4 days. This should do the trick. Feed only pellets, and definitely no corn or treats.

[lettucegrow!]

Might have to resort to that then as she's back sitting in her little spot. I'm not too worried about her but she does feel very thin compared to the others when I pick her up. She looks healthy though and eats when she does venture out. It just seems to be going on a long time when nothings happening for her! No babies

[RichmondHens]

They do seem to "need" babies. I know we tend to interpret avian behaviour as if they were human, but 6 weeks or so ago one of my hens sat on just a couple of eggs unsuccessfully, and when they didn't hatch I chucked them and turfed the hen out. Her friend sat and raised some, and the first hen mooned around the coop for at least a couple of weeks, just gazing at the other one's chicks. I felt really quite sad for her. Then she had a period of being half broody, in the nestbox all one day, then out the next, in the day after, and so on. She's now fully back to normal though and laying daily.

[di]

They do seem to "need" babies. I know we tend to interpret avian behaviour as if they were human, but 6 weeks or so ago one of my hens sat on just a couple of eggs unsuccessfully, and when they didn't hatch I chucked them and turfed the hen out. Her friend sat and raised some, and the first hen mooned around the coop for at least a couple of weeks, just gazing at the other one's chicks. I felt really quite sad for her. Then she had a period of being half broody, in the nestbox all one day, then out the next, in the day after, and so on. She's now fully back to normal though and laying daily.

Do you know,I think that's the problem with Marigold!
Although she's made no attempts at being broody this time...other than trying to sit on top of her sis...but she's just been moping about since Dandelion has been on the eggs.
When you think,she did two & a half weeks of sitting on eggs,only for Dandelion to take over the final more fulfilling stage & become a mum.Now she's having to watch her sis prepare for being mum again.
I know they're not human & maybe it's wrong to put human feelings on them,but can also see why maybe she's feeling a bit low!
Poor Love!

[lettucegrow!]

I don't know that it's putting human behaviors on them, it's just nature taking it's course. They need to reproduce the same as all animals/birds.I've watched her wandering round the run when I kick her out to eat and she carries on picking up bits of straw and twigs and throwing them over 'shoulder' as though she's nest building all the time. Why would they not feel unfulfilled when there are no fluffy chicks at the end of sitting. That's what is supposed to happen and there's no little ones to cluck over.

[digthatchick]

Maggie, my broody Magpie hen, has just stopped her broodyness (sp) after 7 weeks

Her comb is turning redder and she is eating a lot more. I was worried as she had got so thin, but I used to take her out of the coop, let the others out in the garden, and feed her a mix of layers pellets and corn just to keep her going.

She has left the eggs alone for three days now, so hopefully its over.

[lettucegrow!]

OMG seven weeks!! What is it with these Magpie girlies? If she had had some eggs to hatch she would have been back to normal a lot sooner,wouldn't she? It's quite sad really-fertile eggs is the way to go! I'm talking my way into it.

[Nicos]

I'm getting practical these days...as soon as they go broody- they're locked out all day- what ever the weather..the chillier the quicker they come back to lay!
I'm finally getting 5 eggs per day from my 5 gals- but when the youngest one went broody she took 2 weeks before she started laying again- even turfed out of the nests!!!!