Broody's comb colour (pale)

[chris]

Would this be because she's hardly eating? Bit concerned about her - I've let her sit on normal eggs for the almost 2 weeks now (I think) and she's sat put. I've marked them as to not collect them, and she seems to be ignoring the other two laying theirs now.

Anyway today when I went to see them, she was very light to pick up (lost a lot of weight) - her comb is pale, but her wattles are more red (still not as red as they were before).

I decided to turf her out and break the eggs, and put back the washed shells - when she noticed them she was looking all over the shop (I presume she thinks the eggs have hatched? - that's my plan anyway). She did peck at the shells though - do they normally do this? I removed them after maybe 30mins, as I didn't want her/the others to eat them (they were going mad trying to get to the shells).

Is there something I can give her tomorrow to give her a bit of a 'boost' ? I was thinking of making her some pellet-porridge - are there any house hold items I can put in it to give her a bit more nourishment?

I've things like vitamin c powder for bread baking, acv, usual fruit and veg etc. Or is it worth going out to buy some specialised tonic (is that poultry spice?)

TIA!

[RichmondHens]

Most broodies lose a bit of colour and some quite a lot weight, it's perfectly normal. Some of mine get so skinny there's almost nothing to them, but they all bounce back once out and about with the flock again. As long as she has continued access to her layers pellets then let her decide how much she wants to eat. You can't force her hormones to re-set, you will just have to wait till they do it naturally.

[chris]

Ok, thanks for the info! Just got a bit concerned she may be on her way out!

[petal]

couldn't be red mites at night could it?

[chris]

Red mite was my initial though, as she'd be an easy target always in there - but checked and no signs.. they're in a new coop now anyway, the one they were in is going to the tip in the week.

My new one will be easier to check for red mite + i've given it a good creocoting inside, along the seems, perch ends etc!

[jessmorris]

Hello there,
for what its worth, I read on t'internet last week that a pale but upright comb can just mean that they are off lay. Mine are a bit pale through the winter.
My broodies can also look awful sometimes, skinny and pale combed. They soon pick up once they're eating again and out in the sunshine. I'm doing what RH suggested and feeding the broodies on corn so they get full up on something fattening and tasty - they'll go for it when they dash to the food when they come off the nest!

[chris]

I must admit I did take pellets/corn to my broody! But now she's up and about a bit more in this new run (keeping them in there for a couple of days so they learn where to lay again) - at least that'll give me time to get rid of their old coop as well... so they're not tempted to lay around it again.

It really is shocking, picking up my magpie (who is a really large bird - she's very heavy), then picking up the broody - I'd say she's not even a quater of the magpies weight.. who probably ~ twice as heavy as the black rock. Massive!

I've read about magpies been called a reverse sussex - as she's a hybrid, out of interest do larger birds like her make good meat birds?