Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[HnM]

Ruby the bantam has been really, determinedly broody for about 3 weeks now. We've tried locking her out of the eglu (she snuggles down at the door instead), blowing cold air onto her tummy (haven't the heart to dunk her in cold water!) and generally trying to distract her with treats etc. To NO avail! Will she just stop soon and come to her senses? Or will she go on for ever? We've taken her to the vet in case it was something else and he says she's fine.

Any ideas?

Thanks a million

[Tessa the Duchess]

Not to depress you or anything but my Annie went broody for 10 weeks once

She goes broody very regularly, next time I saw all the signs I bought a guinea pig cage for £4 in a charity shop, turned it upside down and popped her in it, it took only 2 days to snap her out of it. You have to regard it as being cruel to be kind Alternatively try dunking her in cold water many times a day.

 

Tessa

[Happybunny]

I've got a Buff Pekin who's been broody since April. She sat on the nest (along with 2 other hens!) the eggs hatched but she wasn't interested, she wanted to get straight back on the empty nest!

I've been a bit reluctant to use a broody cage - I kept hoping she'd snape out of it, but no! I've had to close the eglu during the day to get her outside, all the other hens are now laying in the guinea-pig hutch or the hedge.

[Tessa the Duchess]

Happybunny I was VERY reluctant to use a broody cage too, but after nearly 3 months Annie was looking very thin and had pecked out all her breast feathers and my other chicken had no one to play with and was getting very depressed. I took the plunge and was so glad I did because it stopped the broodiness almost instantly. It's not really cruel, they broody hen just sits there, she has food and water and it's only for a couple of days. Try it, April to August is a very long time to be broody, chickens can easily lose condition if they are broody for too long.

 

Tessa

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I used a puppy crate (reluctantly) but it really did work. Molly was broody for 2 weeks while we were on holiday - 3 days/nights in the crate and she was over it.

 

 

If you can't find a second hand one, I got mine from here.

[HnM]

Thanks, people!

 

I think it's going to have to be the Ruby-cage, unless she's stopped by the w/e. I'm sure it can't be pleasant for her to be so frustrated and grumpy.. some of us know what having hormones-awry is like!!

 

At least it's not freezing cold at nights, so she won't get hypothermia!

[Tessa the Duchess]

HnM I've just spotted that you are in North London too!! I live in Crouch End N8, are you close to me? if so you are welcome to borrow my broody cage, save you buying one.

 

Tessa.