I know the subject has come up several times. I just searched for the term “broody“ and found several threads. The one post by reeldoc, saying “I hate broody hens, that is all” made me smile, but fee nostalgic as I do miss his postings. Anyway,
We have one bird called a Steele egger that lays blue eggs. Shortly after introducing a couple of younger chickens into the flock she became broody. Did I say broody? I first noticed her sitting on the eggs where they usually lay them and she chattered at me when I went to collect them. Finally chased her off a clutch of eggs with a shovel but man was she fighting. Pecking at the shovel, squawking and carrying on. Got her out the coop door and she was fighting to get back in. Knocked her off the ramp and she gave up and went an attacked the other chickens.
Next several days she kept nesting on them. Hmm.. but could be more easily driven off. Finally caught her and put her in a cage / coop by herself where she couldn’t brood any eggs or nest comfortably. she would “Cluck” loudly and you could see her throat swell when doing so. She’d kick and dig… a mad hen. Finally after several days she stopped clucking and stared acting normal again. Let her out to integrate today. She stayed out and even ate lettuce when I gave them some today. Collected a few eggs this evening, she wasn’t sitting in them. After dark, closed up the coop and she was perched up in a beam, not nesting. Broody apparently is over.
I hate a broody hen, thanks Reeldoc.
We have one bird called a Steele egger that lays blue eggs. Shortly after introducing a couple of younger chickens into the flock she became broody. Did I say broody? I first noticed her sitting on the eggs where they usually lay them and she chattered at me when I went to collect them. Finally chased her off a clutch of eggs with a shovel but man was she fighting. Pecking at the shovel, squawking and carrying on. Got her out the coop door and she was fighting to get back in. Knocked her off the ramp and she gave up and went an attacked the other chickens.
Next several days she kept nesting on them. Hmm.. but could be more easily driven off. Finally caught her and put her in a cage / coop by herself where she couldn’t brood any eggs or nest comfortably. she would “Cluck” loudly and you could see her throat swell when doing so. She’d kick and dig… a mad hen. Finally after several days she stopped clucking and stared acting normal again. Let her out to integrate today. She stayed out and even ate lettuce when I gave them some today. Collected a few eggs this evening, she wasn’t sitting in them. After dark, closed up the coop and she was perched up in a beam, not nesting. Broody apparently is over.
I hate a broody hen, thanks Reeldoc.