Long time broody

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kitty

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Hi all, not sure if this should be in the chickens health forum or not,but as per title one of my speckledy's has been broody for 5 weeks now and shows no sign of letting up.
I've tried locking her out of the coup for her to eat and drink but always let her back in after a couple of hours after feeling sorry for her as she keeps returning to the coup and peers in the vent hoping to get in.
I would try and lock her out for longer, but obviously my other 3 gals need to get in to lay.
How long is she likely to be like this, and should I continue to lock her out for as long as possible?
Any other tips would be appreciated
 
I have a little choc hen who has been broodie since easter :( She is so persistant and will not snap out of it. I have extra nets boxes for my other hens so leave her sitting in her empty box. But I do make sure she eats & drinks each day though as they can loose alot of weight etc when being stuck on the nest all day.

John
 
Our pekin bantam has been broody for the last 6 weeks, and the other two joined the club about 4 weeks ago. Like yours they show no signs of letting up. It's actually easier now they're all broody as I can just shut them out of the coup for the day without worrying the others laying, though I can't wait for them to go back to their normal cheerful little selves. :cry:

I was due to worm them this week but because they're barely eating there doesn't seem to be much point. Least the grass in our garden is starting to grow back now! :lol:
 
Ditto, I cant stop my girls from being broody, I have a l/f gold laced orp that has been broody for 9 weeks, gave her some eggs as I felt sorry for her but she broke them all!! now keep locking her out of the henhouse in the mornings but she just sits on the top of the ladder all day clucking away to herself!
 
Thanks all, nice to know I'm not alone with his problem
 
Hello All,

Just wondered how your girls are doing on the broody front - any change yet? My three are still broody, been 3 months now and showing no signs of giving up yet!
 
Hi,Pony Girl, the good news is that my long term broody speckledy is now fine and has also started laying again, but the bad news is my other speckledy has gone broody about 2 weeks ago.
I did all the locking out thing etc., but I don't think it made any difference as 3 months is quite a long time, so I've decided to let the broodiness of the second one just run its course. I will however, make sure she gets out enough to eat and drink sufficiently, but thats all.
I just hope that the same thing won't happen next year! does anyone know if this is likely to happen and also whether this is specific to this and other types of breed?
 
Glad shes given up being broody, try putting your other one in a wire crate for a couple of days & let the air get under her - put broody into the search facilty - for some tips. Keeping my fingers crossed nothing else goes broody here as have got enough chicks now!

Dont know about Speckledys, but brahmas, wyandottes, silkies, pekins, faverolles, sussex to name a few can go broody regularly. Its more likely with the purebreeds than hybrids I believe.
 
Pleased to announce that today, speckledy number 2 has become "unbroody", so looking forward to 100% egg production from next week.
 
Update! Speckledy number 2 did not become "unbroody after all when I last posted here, but has been getting back to normal over the last few days. The problem I now have however, is that she has now gone to the bottom of the pecking order and is being given a really hard time by one of my Blackrocks and I have to feed her separately from the others to ensure she gets enough food. Also, she has lost a number of feathers from her back, I have found in the coup which, I suspect are being pecked from her by the Blackrock.
I would appreciate any advice to help her with the problem, also do you think the feather loss could be just normal moulting?
Thanks in advance
 
Hi Kitty,

I too have had several hens broody on and off all summer long. The worst one has just come out of it, and she too is losing an awful lot of feathers.

I would check your "no2 girlie" to see if she had any red/ bald areas- I rather think it will be the moult, especially as determined broodies loose their condition. Adding some vitamin drops to the water will give her a boost. Mine love the drops, and seem to drink far more water after adding it. (I use Nettex Liquid Tonic with added seaweed. A 100ml bottle has lasted me over 6 months.)

As regards to the pecking order- well it should sort itself out, but I place several little bowls around to make sure everyone gets their fair share. Each girlie visits each bowl, but it means the top hen doesn't get ALL the nice bits.

Oh and I have recently added Poultry Spice to their pellets, it smells divine and I think its has encouraged the girls to eat more pellets, they do seem to like it, plus its good for them.

So a few options, but I would watch her carefully, and maybe someone else can offer you advice. Mine is limited to what I have learnt in the past 7mths of chicken keeping, and learning more everyday.....

Sharron
 
try putting them in coop on their own preferably raised off ground with slatted floor i use old sussex ark raised on post, circulation of air underneath makes it uncomfortable for them to sit. supply food & water i use wheat until broken then return with others
 
Thanks for replies, I waited to see what happened when they all went in to roost for the night and I caught my smaller blackrock nastily pulling out her feathers by the clump, so as an emergency measure I have made a temporary home in my garden shed for her out of a cardboard box but she certainly was not at all happy in there. Looks as if I am going to make this a bit more of a longer term solution. Do you think I would be better off moving the offending blackrock in there as "punishment" as my 3 other birds do not seem to be treating her the same way?
 
Spray the one who is being pecked with purple spray to cover up any red areas. As long as the others arent going for her, she should be fine with them. yes I would separate the offender for a few days but keep her in sight of the others to make it easier for putting her back in. Hope it goes ok :D
 
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