Butterscotch has just laid twenty eggs in twenty three days with her last twelve eggs in twelve days. Yesterday by late afternoon she was sat in the nest box when I realised that she had been in there rather a long time. I decided to lift her to see if she had laid her egg.
She had indeed laid her egg and she also pecked my hand which was something she hadn’t done before. Uh Oh! I thought. Was she going broody? As it was nearing bedtime I decided to force her out and she shouted loudly. I distracted her with sunflower hearts. She calmed down then a little later made her way back to the nest box. I closed both nest boxes as it was nearly bedtime and I thought there was just a chance that if I kept her out until bedtime she would have got over it by morning.
When I went in this morning all the girls were out in the run. I gave them their morning corn and as soon as it was gone Butterscotch went into the nest box. As she had laid her egg late afternoon yesterday I knew it was too soon for her to lay this morning and therefore, yes, she has gone broody.
Butterscotch in the nest box
Butterscotch growling at me
She growled at me which is another sure sign. Her growl sounded like a snore.
I have read a lot about broodies and some people like to get them out once a day for food, water, poop and possibly a dust bath. Other’s say that this causes them more stress and if left alone they will do this on their own.
Last year when Topaz actually committed to being a proper broody I got her out at lunch time each day. She would puff herself up and come out shouting with anger. She would peck me if she could and peck any girl who got near her. This went on for three weeks before she suddenly snapped out of it.
Butterscotch is even louder than Topaz when she shouts. I have decided to try to do it differently with her. I am going to leave her be and just keep a close eye on her. I am hoping that she will be smart enough to come out when she needs too. The patio area where the nest box is, is in shade and is cool so I don’t need to worry that she will over heat.
I checked on her at lunch time.
Honey checks on Butterscotch
My girls are so nosey that when ever I check the nest box they do too. Honey took a look in the nest box and Barley also came over to see what was going on. Butterscotch had her head tucked down into her breast and was in the trance like state that they enter when broody.
A few hours later I checked on her again as did the girls.
Peaches, Barley and Honey check on Butterscotch
Peaches and Barley keep an eye on Butterscotch while Topaz and Honey discuss the situation
Barley goes in for a closer look
Barley nudged past Butterscotch on her way back out and Butterscotch growled at her. I thought we had better give her some privacy.
At five o’clock I went in to give the pre bedtime sunflower hearts and tempted Butterscotch out of the nest box with them. She joined the other girls pecking at the seeds.
Butterscotch joins in with the seeds
She then had a peck at some apple
Then a drink of water
She then went to the other water dish for another drink
Butterscotch drank loads of water. She then went off into the run and did an enormous broody poop before having a frantic scratch.
She has a quick scratch
A quick jump up to the table on her way back
I have no idea why she needed to jump on the table but she soon made her way back to the patio. By now all the girls had gone in to the shed and Butterscotch went back to the nest box but I had closed them both. She hovered by them for a few minutes then went in to bed.
Butterscotch is off to bed
I think I will continue with this routine as long as she doesn’t appear to be losing condition. Some days I will be out during the day (for work) and tomorrow we have planned a day out so this will fit in with our day. We will make sure we are back before five o’clock to make sure she has food and water before bedtime.
I guess we were lucky to get twenty eggs before she went broody. If she lays this well in between going broody we will count ourselves lucky. Time will tell how long this broody phase will last.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
She has done really well to lay as many eggs before going broody, which is part of her genetic make-up! Twice as many as my Cotton, who’s broody again and now on 10 hatching eggs. You are wise to keep a close eye, as they can so quickly lose condition; I lift Cotton off the nest twice a day. She looks well after herself, eating vigorously, drinking copious amounts, having a dust bath (usually just the first time she’s off) and leaving a very pungent broody ‘log’. You may be in for a long haul – and the unfortunate loss of your best layer. But she is a gorgeous hen. (:
I was amazed at how well her egg laying was going. I will keep a close eye on her but don’t want to stress her too much. Tonight’s story isn’t quite finished but that’s for tomorrow’s post. But be assured that she has been back out and has had a good go at the pellets as well as more water so I am satisfied that she is okay but boy was she noisy!
Honey is so cute in the one photo, almost like “aren’t you coming out!?” It’s also funny that she’ll snore as a growl. Girls probably thought she was sleeping…?
It did actually look and sound as though she was sleeping. The girls do make me smile when they all rally round.
It is just a good job all your other girls are not laying otherwise there would be an argument about best box space.
You are right there. We are going to try to address that soon (possibly today) in readiness for the future. At the moment it’s not a problem but it could be in the spring. We are also postponing our planned day out for now.