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

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Molly's broody again .

 

I've brought out the broody cage but am nervous about using it . I tried her in it for 10 minutes and she stood on the water and food bowls and knocked them both over . (I have plans to combat that.)

 

1. Do I leave her in it all day or just when the others are in their run? She behaves relatively normally if she's freeranging.

 

2. Is it safe to just leave the cage in the garden - there's no room in the eglu run for it.

 

3. Should I leave her in it overnight and put it in the garage?

[Tessa the Duchess]

You are supposed to leave them in it 24/7 I would definitely put her in the garage overnight, if you can't fit it in the Eglu run, unless you are 100% sure it is fox proof. I saw a picture on Dilly's wonderful blog of her broody cage which she hangs on a chain from a tree during the day, not sure what she does at night though. My Annie is showing tendancies of being broody again, I'm dreading using a broody cage Good luck with Molly.

 

Tessa

[chelsea]

if it were me I would take her out of the broody cage at night and put her in the eglu and put something in the nest box to stop her nesting in it by night. Then you know shes 100% safe overnight, and keep her in the broody pen by day near your eglu run.

 

Maybe trying some iceblocks/packs by day might break her out of it quicker.

[lisa33]

I put my broody cage in the conservatory at night and tie it to the picnic table during the day.

[Yolky]

Question from a chicken thicko. Apart from not getting any eggs from the broody hen is there anything wrong with them being broody

[chelsea]

Question from a chicken thicko. Apart from not getting any eggs from the broody hen is there anything wrong with them being broody

 

they are very annoying after a while!

 

I've got a hen who's been broody for 7 weeks and prior to that she was broody for 3 weeks (she had a break in the middle). They make it frustrating for the other hens as they want to get in the nestbox to lay, so you have to keep an eye on the broody all the time unless you have the broody cage.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I think the problem is if it goes on for weeks (which it can) they stop looking after themselves (ie eating properly) and can get very thin and lose condition.

 

So it's not just a selfish decision to try to snap them out of it, it is for their own good too .

[Stevie]

We've both got the same broody cages and your door catch should be same as mine (slider type)-it will be 100% fox proof cos its damn hard for me to move! I'd leave her outside next to the run so they can still see each other.

[Yolky]

ANH I didn't think you were being selfish or anything I just am a total newbie at this and so was just trying to learn.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

The catch on mine is quite loose . I don't think a fox could manage it but I was worried that the gaps in the wire are quite big and a fox could get its paw through. There's nowhere for the hen to hide .

 

Having said that, I've not seen a fox since I got my girls 9 months ago (but I'm assuming they're around somewhere).

[Ain't Nobody Here]

ANH I didn't think you were being selfish or anything I just am a total newbie at this and so was just trying to learn.

 

Oh sorry, I honestly didn't mean YOU thought that . I probably should have chosen a different word .

[Yolky]

Sorry my misunderstanding

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Sorry my misunderstanding

 

No probs, my mistake .

[beach chick]

I use a dog crate, with extra wire on the wider bits. I also wire it shut, and park it on 4 bricks, with a further 4 bricks on top - no prob whatsoever so far, although I am sucha softy I tend to let them out too quick...

if weather is bad, I also put a black binliner over the top (under the bricks) to at least keep the rain off, and wire the water thing into a corner so she cant tip it over.

I dont give any food when they're broody, and I leave her in it overnight as well. so far tho I've only managed about 48 hours of chicken in cooler before I relent!!

[Stevie]

The catch on mine is quite loose . I don't think a fox could manage it but I was worried that the gaps in the wire are quite big and a fox could get its paw through. There's nowhere for the hen to hide .

 

Having said that, I've not seen a fox since I got my girls 9 months ago (but I'm assuming they're around somewhere).

 

Is your catch loose when its right way up or upside down like we discussed other week when you gave me the Ebay link?

 

In theory,it should be tighter when upside down cos it will go out of square everyso slightly as the tray wont be supporting the cages weight.The doors on mine are really tight and only way a fox could open either is with a blooming gas torch...

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It's upsidedown . I followed your advice and hammered a screwdriver through so I could cable tie the tray to the roof .

 

I think there are catches on both sides though, aren't there? I'll have a look tomorrow.