A hen must be broken out of her broodiness if she does not have eggs to hatch.  I do one of several things to snap them out of this phase. For instance, I have found that separating the hens into a dog cage for 3 or more days will break their broodiness. Similarly, this will get her back to herself quickly. We hope not to lose too many days of egg production.

Broody hens and hormonal mamas

We have had Henrietta for over two years and she has been broody at least five times! She is the only hen we have that does this. She gets quite nasty.  She goes broody when it’s too hot, too cold or it rains (Hmm this is starting to sound like me?).  Maybe she likes her vacation away from the other girls.  Food, water, good scenery, and not listening to the others cackle about.  Sounds good to me sometimes.  Maybe that is what we should call our “Mommy Time”. Oh, mom is sitting on her nest again, giving us the dirty eye, we better give her “Broody Time” to recover.  I like It!!

What time of year do chickens molt?

About this time of year, hens also molt.  For example, this is where they shed all of their feathers and prepare for the winter with a fresh coat. This also sounds nice to us mothers, doesn’t it? I know I have a few layers I could shed.  Maybe there is more to this chicken thing than I thought. Anyway, it is a very COOL process.  One that would be a great unit study even if you don’t have chickens. I found this site to give you more info on the feathers and layers. Molting

How long does molting last in chickens?

I tried to take close photos of the feathers coming in.  It is like a straw pokes up first, then the feather grows from inside the straw to protect it, so cool.  Some of our hens have developed in different patterns or colors than they didn’t have before, and others get a fresh, clean look.

How do you treat molting chickens?

Next, the hens can lose their feathers gradually over a week or so And some just explode in one day.  It can be scary when you are not expecting it!  I thought Gypsy had been attacked when I walked down the stairs one day.  When hens molt, they generally stop egg production. It is like a time of rest for their bodies to prepare for the next season of laying.

(You think I’m kidding about the mom-hen similarities?).

We like to give them that rest, especially for all they give us the rest of the year.  What a blessing and experience it has been for us to walk out back and get fresh eggs! We enjoy sharing our hens with other kids so they can learn, or get their own eggs to take home.  Kids love it, adults too.

Chicken coop nest box makeover

Since the nest is not in operational use at the moment.  I had the bright idea to make curtains for the nest boxes.  A good friend gave me a bag full of scrap fabric, and I have been sewing up a storm.  I saw the idea over at   Fresh Eggs Daily.  Lisa has a wealth of information on all things chicken. We have three nests, and they all crowd each other out for just the use of one.  My scientific experiment is to see if the curtains affect the hens using the other nests. At least that is what I am telling my husband. It’s for science.  Do you think he sees through that excuse?

I enlisted Grayson and Grant for this experiment.  They measured, cut, and helped sew up the fabric. I believe sewing is a life skill even a boy should have. We got into the coop to measure and make adjustments. Then, the final product was unveiled!

Don’t you think the girls will love the polka dots? Before you write me off as the crazy chicken lady.  You have to understand that I live with three down-and-dirty boys.  I don’t have anything to frill up and make pretty.  I resigned that to my aging years when they have gone. A girl has got to polka dot up something now and again, So why not a coop!

Let’s see if our experiment works……

If you would like to do a unit on chickens, we have created a fun one.

 

No chickens are required to do this unit that teaches more than you can imagine about those birds.

 

 

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