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Broodyness

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For those of you with purebreeds prone to broodyness. How much of an issue do you find this?

 

Im not fussed about the fact that is stops them laying as its not what I have the pure breeds for. I already have one burebreed that I know is going to be prone to it (Wyandotte) but I fancy having Silkie which I know is also much known for it.

 

I read about just taking them off the nest and poping them in a seperate bit of run with a companion for a couple of days till it passes, but understand they can become agressive or stopping eating.

 

How do you deal with it? Do you have major problems with it or is it pretty straight forward to deal with?

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Annie, my hybrid Miss Pepperpot went broody last year :( I found it very stressful :oops: I didn't mind that she stopped laying, but she also stopped all the others laying because she refused to get off the nesting box :evil: She stopped eating and became very pecky and unfriendly :( I tried all the tricks suggested by this forum, baseball in the nesting box, dunking her bum in cold water :( I tried isolating her in a cat basket but she made such a mess with food and water and poo, I just gave up and let her get on with it. It only lasted a couple of weeks thank goodness. The most worrying part is when they stop eating imho.

 

Tessa

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I have a bantam that has gone broody. Stripe has not been laying long, but we did until recently have a cockerel, which probably helped the instinct kick in quickly.

 

I said I would let her sit until we got rid of Speckle - which we did on Tuesday - but now I am in two minds about letting her sit it out.

 

About twice a day I push her off the nest to go and grab some food and water - which she does, after a bit of growling at me, so I know she is eating something. She also preens herself a bit but she does return to the nest quite quickly - I have removed any eggs by then, which feels a bit mean but we don't want chicks! (Well we do but we know we shouldn't...). I have also seen her in the run of her own accord.

 

One of the other bantams is definitely laying and one has possibly just started (some days I get 2 eggs but I don't know if one is from Stripe - to replace the one I have taken away - or if she has stopped now and Black is producing). As they are so small they can squeeze in with her (I have seen Pom Pom pushing her way in) and lay their eggs - although a couple have been on the bars. I did try putting a bowl with some hemcore next to the nest box but they did not seem interested and I later found egg under Stripe.

 

I know this does not really say much either way but at the moment I am letting her sit - but am awaiting other replies with interest as I may discover that its a really bad idea.

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My Dotty has had three bouts of broodiness since October and is currently in solitary confinement for a couple of days :roll:

Even though she's a hybrid, not a pure breed it can be hard work keeping her off the nest for the others to lay. That's why I choose to seperate her, it's a much easier solution to all of the throwing off the nest, cold water and throwing in the air business.

As long as you're a strong type that does feel guilty about leaving a chook out in the elements, you'll cope just fine.

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I had a broody Pepperpot girl last year.

 

She snapped out of it quite quickly, As I booted her off the nest and closed the Eglu door when everyone has laid.

 

I also left a blue frozen ice pack thingummybob wotsit in the nest, changing it every 4 hours.

 

I think it helped, but others have been less successful.

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