Broody Silkie

[rabbit0927]

My 7 month old hen name Greyson (aka Gracie) has been laying eggs for a month now and of course that is when we found out our other chicken was a rooster
She usually lays an egg every day and may skip a day in-between but she has not laid any eggs for the last 4 days and been sitting inside her coop. I thought she was sick at first but then I took her out and put her down. She got up after couple of minutes and started walking normally. She eats, shake her feathers drinks water, walks around a little and goes back to her coop. She has not laid any new eggs but she does not want to come out.

My rooster has been pretty aggressive with her as well due to her behavior. Whenever she comes out, he tried to get on top of her and pulls her hair so poor thing screams and runs away.
I am really worried about her. She is sitting inside with her feathers all fluttered.

Do you guys have any advice what I should do? I thought she was sick at first because I gave her a bath on Sunday but then when I take her out, she is fine. Then I thought she was depressed and scared of the rooster but then I read some of the threads and figured out she is a broody silkie. Please help!!!

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

She sounds broody to me too .. do you want chicks or do you want to try to break her from her broodiness?

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I'm a little confused...Are you asking how to break her? How to protect her from the rooster? Should you give her eggs? I don't know if it's just me but this is a little unclear to me.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

I'm a little confused...Are you asking how to break her? How to protect her from the rooster? Should you give her eggs? I don't know if it's just me but this is a little unclear to me.

X2

 

[rabbit0927]

She is only 7 months old so I think she is really young to sit on eggs but what do I know. This is my first time so I am checking with you guys. I just want her to be happy as she was before. She is such a good hen and always happy and running around scratching and all. Now, all she does is sit inside and that makes me sad

 

[rabbit0927]

The rooster is more aggressive now then before and I don't want him to peck at her that hard and beat her up as he is only 7 months old as well. But she is doing what comes natural to her so when I put her down and she wants to eat and drink her water, he is right by her trying to corner her. So the poor girl just screams and runs back to her nest. I don't know what to do; I just feel sorry for her.

 

[lilmillefleur]

I would rehome (or eat) the cockerel and get more hens as companions for your one ASAP. The boy sounds like trouble, but chickens are flock creatures and can't be alone.
If you want, you can set some eggs for her to hatch, or if you want her to not be broody, you can try putting her in an elevated cage with a wire bottom for a few days. The airflow under her butt is supposed to encourage her to stop setting.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

So you're trying to solve your rooster's aggression?

Get rid of it.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

You can let her hatch a few chicks. She may or may not follow through and you'll need to be prepared for chicks.. or try to break her with a broody cage. Lots of options really, if you can get a couple more hens to keep roo busy it would give her a break from him.. or rehome him..

 

[ChickenGirl555]

You can let her hatch a few chicks. She may or may not follow through and you'll need to be prepared for chicks.. or try to break her with a broody cage. Lots of options really, if you can get a couple more hens to keep roo busy it would give her a break from him.. or rehome him..

I would rehome (or eat) the cockerel and get more hens as companions for your one ASAP. The boy sounds like trouble, but chickens are flock creatures and can't be alone.
If you want, you can set some eggs for her to hatch, or if you want her to not be broody, you can try putting her in an elevated cage with a wire bottom for a few days. The airflow under her butt is supposed to encourage her to stop setting.

I guess I never realized you were saying that was your only hen...I would say get rid of the rooster and let your broody hatch some chicks. She needs friends and if she hatched some it would be easiest, since there would be no trouble with integration of a single hen to others.