My BO is puffed up, sitting in nest box, acting very strange...

[katie and the chicks]

Help! My BO is puffed up, sitting in nest box, acting very strange...she is clucking contantly, her rear is way up, and her body is rhythmically rising up and down. she isn't laying any eggs. i checked her rear for prolapse or stuck egg, but can't see anything out of the ordinary.

What's up? she is 2 years old, has been acting normal until yesterday. her poop is fine, she is eating a little, but my kids and i say she is acting very strange.

the feathers on her neck are sticking up and all her feathers are sticking out like a male turkey in full display. she is pretty touchy/crabby towards the other 6 hens.

what's this????

thanks for any help or ideas.

katie and the chicks

 

[Mahonri]

First, WELCOME TO BYC so glad to have you here.

Next, Congratulations are in order,

Your BO is BROODY!

Get her some fertile eggs, she's stopped laying... and it's best to isolate her from the rest of the flock so that other girls won't get in her nest.

 

[katie and the chicks]

If i don't have any fertile eggs, can i just let her sit it the nest until she gets over it? i also have 18 six week old chicks, so more chicks is out of the question right now.......(they're in another chicken coop, separate) i've only had chickens for about 6 months, so many things are pretty new to me.

thanks for the help!

 

[Judy]

Try taking her out of the nest, maybe blocking it off. If she keeps going back, or sets in another nest, put her in a wire bottom cage of some sort for 2-3 days with food and water but NO bedding. Set it up on something so air circulates below it. This should break the broodiness.

She might remain broody for 2-3 months if you do not break her. She will lose a lot of weight and take a while to recover.

 

[Ferngully]

Place her in an open wired cageup off the floor with food and water for a few days, this should help break the broodiness.