So far (thank goodness) we seem to have avoided any bird flu, and the ladies are thriving, and laying well. The first broody hen has long since moved back into the regular coop, leaving her three teenagers to fend for themselves in their little “private shed”. They are getting pretty big, and I have started letting them out to forage with the older chickens. They have perfected their “stay away from the big chickens” maneuvers, so they have managed to stay safe from the larger hens and 2 roosters in the yard. The adults actually don’t pay too much attention to them at this point, which is good. Too bad that isn’t true for their chick food. The adult hens and the roosters LOVE chick starter, so once I open the gates to their yards, the little ones have to contend with a herd of big chickens in their yard stealing their food. They have perfected their technique of sneaking close to the gate and then sprinting out to get past the invaders, and they tend to stay out, exploring nearby until either the big chickens tire of snacking on chick starter, or I call the big chickens back to the main yard with bird seed after dinner.
You might have noticed above that I said “the first broody hen”. I do have another hen trying to brood. Since brooding is usually a spring activity, she is way off schedule. Since I (still) don’t really want more chickens, I moved directly to the big guns method of trying to break a brood, and she has spent the last 4 days in a wire bottom cage with no bedding. (Don’t worry. She has food and water!) I call it “Chicken Jail”. The principle is that if I prevent her from keeping her chest warm, it will break the brood. Everything I read about this strategy said 2-5 days before a hen gives up brooding. Of course, like my last broody hen, I seem to have particularly determined chickens, because she hit day 4 in jail today and still is acting just as broody as when I put her in there! But I am determined to out stubborn this hen (unlike the last one), so for now she stays in jail! I can’t help wonder if the heat is part of what is defeating me. Maybe I just need a few cool nights, which it looks like we might see this week, to do the trick! Time will tell.
7/26 Broody chicken update. Well, I had read that broodiness is contagious, and now I can confirm it! Six days into chicken jail, and after a night with temperatures in the 50s, not only is my broody hen still at it, but another hen has joined her. Now there are two chickens in “jail”. URGHHHH! At least it makes for a good farm story! Since brooding chickens don’t lay eggs, maybe I need to start selling stories! LOL
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