chelsea Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 my girls just seem to go broody at the mention of the word broody! this is what i've had - March to April - Star broody for 3 weeks. Star out of broodiness and then Misty decides to go broody 1 week later Star can see Misty is broody so she decides I will go broody too Misty comes out of her broodiness (2 weeks ago) Star was broody the 2nd time for 7-8 weeks Misty has now decided overnight she would like to be broody again! Arggggghhhhhh! Can someone tell me that the period for "broody season" does end at some point. (we have tried broody pens, dunking and ice packs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 I've no experience of broody hens (yet!!) but it sounds a right PITA. I really feel for you Chelsea. And if it's common in Cochin's, which from your post looks like it is - I have a lot to look forward to!! Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 27, 2008 Author Share Posted June 27, 2008 thanks Ros, I love my girls to death but they are seriously testing my patience! I think its worse when there are 2 because they "egg" each other on (pardon the pun ), so you might be ok! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Oh Chelsea, I feel for you! It's a right pain, isn't it. Jenny went broody a couple of weeks ago completely out of the blue! She'd not been broody since her first year here when she had 3 sessions but as soon as she disappeared into the nest and started fluffing herself up and making squealing noises if I tried to move her, I knew what she was up to and gave her a nice cold bath. Did the trick too. I also locked her out of the Cube once the others had laid their eggs and blocked the nest with plant pots and a big bag of charcoal so she couldn't sleep in it and she's been fine since. Hope your girls snap out of it soon!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Pepsi has been broody for seven and a half weeks She is at the moment outside in the run scratching about so hopefully she has snapped out of it. Tallulah2 has been broody for 3 weeks She is still in the nestbox peeping through the open door Luckily it hasn't bothered the others much, they just laid their eggs sitting on top of the broodies. I have had two broody cages on the go, put ice blocks in the nest box, locked them out of the Eglu and blocked off the nesting box. It is a pain especially when you work full time and you can't shut the Eglu door incase a chicken needs to lay when you are out. I had a bit of a scare when the broody cages were being used as a cat managed to get into the run by pushing the wire in the door. The whole of the wire run needs repairing but we move very soon so I have just done a temporary job on it and hope it stays secure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Yes I have one that went broody on about the 12th March. She was broody for just over a month before I put her in a broody cage. She still hasn't laid! I have a pekin that keeps thinking about going broody and she's stopped laying but isn't on the nest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellekatz Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 I've just had one of my new girls go broody - she's only been laying a couple of months. Two days in the broody cage and she had forgotten about it - I think the drop in temperature has helped as well. Last year, they seemed top take it in turns but were laways kind enough to share the nest box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Yup! One of mine been broody since day 7 of getting my girls!! tried most things and getting pressure from OH and pretty much everyone to let her do the natural thing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jills Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Also getting seriously fed up with it! Nessa has gone broody again only a couple of weeks after coming out of her first session. Because I only have the two it means that Thurza is on her own most of the time and I really feel for her. Last time the broody cage worked but this time Nessa seems much more determined. Is it true that this only happens in the summer? Someone please tell me that's true. I feel so cruel putting her in a cage on her own. I'm also seriously thinking of getting another hen so that Thurza isn't lonely. Good excuse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 My cochin is broody again or is that still broody I can't remember how many days it was where she was off the nest and back in the flock 3rd week again coming up Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Yep - I sure am. My light sussex has been in the broody cage 4 times in the last two months Egg production has dropped to virtually nil and I'm Luckily none of my other hens seem to be interested in spending hours on the nest, pulling out their chest feathers and growing to the size of a bungalow when approached Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Yes, me too - I've had broody's since mid March. Doris started it, the other three Brahma's joined her, I managed to snap Doris out of it - I finally snapped the others out of it at the beginning of this month, had 8 days of 7 chooks strutting about and Doris went broody again! Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 28, 2008 Author Share Posted June 28, 2008 had 8 days of 7 chooks strutting about and Doris went broody again! that would have sent me over the edge!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I had four broody hens this week. Both my large brahmas, the mini Orp and a pekin. I have sorted out the Orp and one of the brahmas...just two to go now. Let's just hope that the cochins don't get any ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I am dreading this!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 It's not an enjoyable side to keeping hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, fed up, Its all down to hormones - root of all evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 does it end at some point? my first 2 hybrids have never gone broody in 2 years, good girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Its all down to hormones - root of all evil. Tell me about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I had two hybirds - Doris and evil Georgie. Neither went broody. I've now had Daisy broody for over a month (just snapped out of it today), Susanna and Trinny are both broody now. they are all pure breds so maybe that's the answer - I'll go back to hybrids next lot I get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Its all down to hormones - root of all evil. Tell me about it! Sorry I can't, its a woman thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 My Annie is a hybrid Richard, and she can go broody for England Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
