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(11-06-2022, 12:02 PM)Oldcynic Wrote: [ -> ]Hello all you fowl experts @SlowLoris, @DaJavoo et al.  Help me save our rooster.

Two of our eight layers have become broody and won't leave their nesting boxes, egg production is down.

My wife blames "Fat Albert" our only rooster for molesting the hens and stressing them.  She wants to put him in the freezer.  Other chicken forums say it's not the rooster to blame, but hormones.

Any experience with brooding hens out here?

Broodiness is a trait that is very individualized from he to hen, but is more common in some breeds. The rooster has nothing to do with it.

There are some techniques to cut it short, but they are not very nice and a pain in the ass. Best just to remove eggs as quickly as possible and ride it out.

I have 1 Buff Orpinton in my small backyard flock that goes broody. I try to take advantage of it by using her to mother new chicks introduce to maintain the number of layers. It has worked great for the most part and prevented having to raise chicks separately for months before the were big enough to defend themselves from the rest of the flock.

(11-06-2022, 12:02 PM)Oldcynic Wrote: [ -> ]Hello all you fowl experts @SlowLoris, @DaJavoo et al.  Help me save our rooster.

Two of our eight layers have become broody and won't leave their nesting boxes, egg production is down.

My wife blames "Fat Albert" our only rooster for molesting the hens and stressing them.  She wants to put him in the freezer.  Other chicken forums say it's not the rooster to blame, but hormones.

Any experience with brooding hens out here?

You can physically REMOVE them from the nest boxes several times daily ~ that will help lessen the cycle.  But, it's a natural thing.  They'll break out of it about the time any biddies that would have hatched would have left the nest ~ 8 to 10 weeks or so.

It's not the roo's fault ~ it is a hormone cycle thing.  (They're not fertile while broody.)

Actually, those girls are the ones you want to remember when ya' want to HATCH some biddies ~ good moms!

(11-06-2022, 12:50 PM)=42 Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-06-2022, 12:02 PM)Oldcynic Wrote: [ -> ]Hello all you fowl experts @SlowLoris, @DaJavoo et al.  Help me save our rooster.

Two of our eight layers have become broody and won't leave their nesting boxes, egg production is down.

My wife blames "Fat Albert" our only rooster for molesting the hens and stressing them.  She wants to put him in the freezer.  Other chicken forums say it's not the rooster to blame, but hormones.

Any experience with brooding hens out here?

Broodiness is a trait that is very individualized from he to hen, but is more common in some breeds. The rooster has nothing to do with it.

There are some techniques to cut it short, but they are not very nice and a pain in the ass. Best just to remove eggs as quickly as possible and ride it out.

I have 1 Buff Orpinton in my small backyard flock that goes broody. I try to take advantage of it by using her to mother new chicks introduce to maintain the number of layers. It has worked great for the most part and prevented having to raise chicks separately for months before the were big enough to defend themselves from the rest of the flock.

Zactly!   

Funny that this thread got active today.

Last night a dog got into my chicken run and killed all 10. 

My fault for forgetting to close the door on the coop. The coop is secure, the run not so much.

 

(11-06-2022, 02:41 PM)TruthSeeker17 Wrote: [ -> ]Funny that this thread got active today.

Last night a dog got into my chicken run and killed all 10. 

My fault for forgetting to close the door on the coop. The coop is secure, the run not so much.

 

What's left of them? Did he carry it all away or eat how much right there on the spot?
Gory details

(11-06-2022, 02:44 PM)Treebeard Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-06-2022, 02:41 PM)TruthSeeker17 Wrote: [ -> ]Funny that this thread got active today.

Last night a dog got into my chicken run and killed all 10. 

My fault for forgetting to close the door on the coop. The coop is secure, the run not so much.

 

What's left of them? Did he carry it all away or eat how much right there on the spot?
Gory details

Just killed them and left them laying there.

(11-06-2022, 02:50 PM)TruthSeeker17 Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-06-2022, 02:44 PM)Treebeard Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-06-2022, 02:41 PM)TruthSeeker17 Wrote: [ -> ]Funny that this thread got active today.

Last night a dog got into my chicken run and killed all 10. 

My fault for forgetting to close the door on the coop. The coop is secure, the run not so much.

 

What's left of them? Did he carry it all away or eat how much right there on the spot?
Gory details

Just killed them and left them laying there.

Sounds like a domestic animal... you know whose dog it was?

(11-06-2022, 03:27 PM)Treebeard Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-06-2022, 02:50 PM)TruthSeeker17 Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-06-2022, 02:44 PM)Treebeard Wrote: [ -> ]What's left of them? Did he carry it all away or eat how much right there on the spot?
Gory details

Just killed them and left them laying there.

Sounds like a domestic animal... you know whose dog it was?

No idea whose dog it might be. Will beef up the run and start over in spring unless I can find some that are younger ones now.

(11-06-2022, 02:41 PM)TruthSeeker17 Wrote: [ -> ]Funny that this thread got active today.

Last night a dog got into my chicken run and killed all 10. 

My fault for forgetting to close the door on the coop. The coop is secure, the run not so much.

 

My wife would have been devastated and out for blood.

Fortunately our dog Marko would chase any predator out of the yard who would threaten HIS chickens.

(11-06-2022, 12:02 PM)Oldcynic Wrote: [ -> ]Hello all you fowl experts @SlowLoris, @DaJavoo et al.  Help me save our rooster.

Two of our eight layers have become broody and won't leave their nesting boxes, egg production is down.

My wife blames "Fat Albert" our only rooster for molesting the hens and stressing them.  She wants to put him in the freezer.  Other chicken forums say it's not the rooster to blame, but hormones.

Any experience with brooding hens out here?

Broodyness depends on the breed of chicken. Some breeds just want to be mothers. "Fat Albert" is not the cause.
Unless of course they are using motherhood as an excuse to hide out. Sort of like "I'm tired, Dear. Not tonight." Just kidding.