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

[cluckbok]

Well we have finally fathomed out that our Pecky (Speckledy) must be broody. She goes in the nestbox only when the others lay and sits in there with them. If we turf her out she doesn't like it and clucks really loud!! so the neighbours can hear!! We had her since March and she only laid 2 eggs. She's not feather pulling or puffing herself up though, and she's eating and drinking and free ranging normally. She only goes in the nestbox when the others are laying mostly and she's not in there all day.

 

We phoned the breeder (Henhouse at Thorndon, Eye, Suffolk) and he was very unhelpful and insisted that she must be laying, well she isn't! Our other two hens lay different coloured eggs and she lay speckled ones so we know she definatley isn't.

 

We decided to put a childs potty in the eglu with shredded paper bedding so that at least the others can lay without her interupting all the time. I don't really want to separate her (broody cage)as she is very vocal sometimes and I think it will make her worse. We don't really have much to seperate her into only a guinea pig ark which probably isn't very secure.

 

We thought we may aswell sit it out. Do you think we have done the right thing putting the extra nestbox in there?

 

Sorry for long post!! We've been a bit stressed about it today!

[Helen&Lee]

That doesn't sound like any of my broody's.

 

I've had 4 broody's since March and mine are in the nesting box whether there is company in there or not.

 

I can't explain why she's not laying - I'm sure someone will come along and offer some ideas.

 

Helen

[chelsea]

I know how stressful a broody can be , especially when you have other hens that need to lay.

 

if she is broody the other nestbox is a good idea . You might be able to snap pecky out of her broodiness if she is only doing it half heartedly - you could try by day (even if its for an hour or so) sitting her in your "guinea hutch/broody pen" on some frozen blocks/ice blocks, it has worked for other people.

 

Dunking can be tried also (we did it - but it didnt work).

 

if she is broody though - she would sit on the nestbox all day.