4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Janepie33]

Oh dear!

Bockett is suposed to be tucked up in bed, but instead she is sitting in the nesting box and every time someone tries to touch her she makes the most peculuiar sound. A sort of open beaked type of shouting - the only way I can describe it!

The girls never lay at this time of night. She has seemed quite happy and healthy all day long.

I wonder if anyone can shed any light on this odd behaviour?

[cluckbok]

Does she like to sleep in the nesting box then? Ours do and we let them get on with it. Whoever goes into the eglu first at dusk bags the nesting box!! Perhaps she objecting to you as though shes saying no way am I moving!

[Janepie33]

She has never slept in the nest box before.

We got our cube about a month ago and she usually snuggles up on the roosting bar with the other girls.

Maybe she is pretending to be Great Garbo " I want to be alone"!

Or maybe she has gone broody. Since 8pm. Is that possible?

[cluckbok]

Not sure whether gone broody. See what she does tomorrow. Perhaps she fancies the penthouse tonight

[Egluntyne]

Sounds like she has gone broody.

 

Turf her out of the nest box and put a plant pot or similar in it if you want to snap her out of it.

 

You'll have to be up early to remove it so that the others can lay in the morning.

 

Advice about broody hens to be found **here**.

[Janepie33]

Thanks Egluntine.

She is definately broody. I have come back from work at luchctime and the egg she was sitting on (not sure whose it was) was so hot I thought it had just been boiled! Also a small pile of feathers next to her and a bald chest.

It all happened so quickly. Yesterday she was not broody, but by the evening she was.

Is that normal?

I tried a plant pot and a freezer block and just for good measure, a watering can, in the nesting box last night, but I still think she managed to squeeze herself in there.

Think I'll try dipping her in water next. Seems a bit mean though. Do I just leave her to dry off naturally? Wouldn't like to dry her with a hairdryer as that will make her hot all over again!

[Big Chicken]

We towel dried our Pootle after dunking her in cold water when she got broody. We dunked her 5 times over 3 days up to her wing pits.

 

She didn't like it, but she certainly loved the cuddle and towel dry after the bath.

 

Big Chicken

[Treekeeper]

Get her in a wire broody cage off the floor ASAP it worked for me and leave her in it with food and water for at least 3 days