Hybreds that go broody

[Country Squire]

I have a RIR X Barred Plymouth that's gone broody. Around 5 days ago whilst in the garden I heard a shreek coming from the nest box. I went over to investigate, and in the nest box was the above hen, sitting tight and looking very moody. I lifted her up and she was sitting on 6 eggs laid from the other hens. So I moved her to the other coop to sit on some eggs, but she wasn't having it and jumped out and ran back to the original nest. So now I have blocked the entrance to prevent the other hens entering and disturbing her, placed eggs under her, food and water, and she has now been sitting for 4 days.

I've never had a hybred of this kind going broody.

Anyone else experienced the same, or know of a purposely bred type (for laying only) that has gone broody?

 

[Anonymous]

One of my Black Rocks went broody and she was a very angry hen! I just let her get on with it and just turfed her out the nest box twice a day to eat and drink. After about 2 weeks she was fine and back to normal!!

 

[Anonymous]

1 of our ex-batt/barns went broody last year - she ensconced herself in her fav nest box much to everyone's surprise & got so hormonal she turned quite psychotic. Oddly enough since her broody episode she's remained quite psychotic (she hates men with a passion & often tries to attack 1 of our posties) & all the eggs she's laid since have had quite thin, brittle shells despite her getting plenty of oyster shell & limestone flour. Saying that though she's not laid for a few weeks now & being our eldest ex-batt (she must be coming up to around 4.5 years old) her poor shell quality could have been more to do with her coming to the end of her laying life.

She did successfully hatch out 3 chicks & while she was a good mother initially after 2-3 weeks she lost interest in the chicks & would try to chase them off.

 

[victorias poultry]

I had a Lohman Brown that went broody, she hatched out 8 chicks, and was a briliant mum, she stayed with them until they were almost fully grown

 

[Chuck]

Hybrids don't go broody that often because they're bred not to. When they do go broody they are unpredicatable and either sit well or leave the eggs before hatching.

When you moved her it could have been too soon as they are best left for four or five days to get really broody, then move them at night to dummy or boiled eggs. Allow another couple of days for them to make up a nest to their liking, then put the hatching eggs under.

 

[chrissyian]

hi my amber star has just sat on and hatched some cream legbar eggs and was very calm about it

 

[Frenchchickens123]

Hi, I have at the moment a black rock hybrid that has gone broody. She has been on the nest for 4 weeks now! Initially I removed the eggs hoping after 21 days she would simply give up. How wrong was I! So I have now allowed her to sit on some eggs and hopefully she will stay till they hatch. She definately doesn't seem like she wants to give up any time soon though

 

[chickadoodle]

Hi When I got my chickens every book I read said that hybrids were unlikely to go broody as it has been bred out of them. However last year my blackrock hatched 6 chicks and at the mo my amber star is sitting tight on eggs! I love it and hope my hybrids continue to go broody!!

 

[Anonymous]

I have a broody hybrid at the moment. At least I think she's a hybrid. She's looks like a Light Sussex but as I bought her from a smallholder who buys and sells on hybrids I think that's more likely. And she's a very determined hen. Been there for a couple of weeks even though I've been lifting her out and removing eggs. I was pretty sure she'd give up and that I didn't want her hatching anything anyway but now we're two weeks in I'm thinking if this happens again I might get her some fertilised eggs to sit on. Chicks would be so lovely.....but shhhhh, don't tell my husband.... 0

 

[Anonymous]

I have 2 Blue Cochin Bantum hens that have been broody since the 1st of March...is this normal? And often times they will sit in the same nest box. They hatched about 20 chicks between them, and do not raise them. Instead they squish them. So we took about 15 of the 20 out and placed them under the light and they all did great. Now we are collecting the eggs as they lay them, but those 2 hens Will not get out of their nesting boxes, and will snap at you if you even try to lift them...
Will the hens staying broody so long hurt them? That is probably a crazy ? As I am new to all of this.

Advice is appreciated!
Thanks
Brooke

 

[Chuck]

That's too long for them to be sitting and you should take them off broody. Put them in a cage with a slatted bottom. they should be off broody in a few days.