Hi , One of our Specked Star hens has gone broody . She will sit in the laying box and when you try to move her she will put her feathers up. Would it be best to separate her from the others and keep her off any eggs. Any advice would be gratefull ,thanks.
Broody hen
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If you don't intend to use her for brooding she would be best taken off broody buy putting her in a cage for a few days where she cannot make a nest. Broodies in the nest box are always a risk that eggs will get broken and she will start to lay again at some point when off broody.
Possibly, but you wouldn't know until you try, whether she would go the course of sitting for more than three weeks, as it would take up to another week to get the eggs you want unless you know a local supplier who has some ready for collection.
If you try this, you wold need to give her a broody coop and a small separate run, rather than leaving her in the nestbox where the others come. Also she should be freshly wormed and are fully checked for mites etc before she begins her sitting. Any chicks she hatches this year would probably not come into lay until next Spring as by the time the pullets were 5 months old it would be November and the days would be too dark to stimulate them into lay. This is OK if you are happy to let them grow on at their own pace.also, think hard now about what you are prepared to do with the unwanted cockerels you will hatch.
If you try this, you wold need to give her a broody coop and a small separate run, rather than leaving her in the nestbox where the others come. Also she should be freshly wormed and are fully checked for mites etc before she begins her sitting. Any chicks she hatches this year would probably not come into lay until next Spring as by the time the pullets were 5 months old it would be November and the days would be too dark to stimulate them into lay. This is OK if you are happy to let them grow on at their own pace.also, think hard now about what you are prepared to do with the unwanted cockerels you will hatch.
I always get some eggs to stick under my hens when they go broody - just for the fun of having chicks.
Most of my flock got eaten the other week by a fox, and the one that was left has gone broody - I wonder if she realized there was a gap in the hen market she could fill -so she is now sitting on six eggs.
I've always left them in the nest box - there are a few choices for the others, although they always seem to try and sneak them under the broody one! I know this is not really what you are supposed to do, but it means there is no issue of reintroducing them later, and since my only investment is a few quid for some hatching eggs, I wouldn't get too upset if they get broken - not that this has ever happened yet!
It really is super fun - although I would echo Marigolds warning re the cockerels!!!
Most of my flock got eaten the other week by a fox, and the one that was left has gone broody - I wonder if she realized there was a gap in the hen market she could fill -so she is now sitting on six eggs.
I've always left them in the nest box - there are a few choices for the others, although they always seem to try and sneak them under the broody one! I know this is not really what you are supposed to do, but it means there is no issue of reintroducing them later, and since my only investment is a few quid for some hatching eggs, I wouldn't get too upset if they get broken - not that this has ever happened yet!
It really is super fun - although I would echo Marigolds warning re the cockerels!!!
