chocchick Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Feel so mean, but it is now 6 weeks with no sign of letting up. There was fluffing up within a minute of cooling in water. She followed me round begging to be let back into the eglu yesterday. Have put spare roosting bars over the nest and poor Susannah has a doleful look in her eyes and is brooding on the roosting bars. I'm being emotionally blackmailed by my chicken Thinking of buying a dog cage as she is very persistant. A few questions... Do you keep the broody in the cage overnight? Do you think it would be cool enough in the day with a blanket over a wire dog cage, and warm enough at night? Is she safe in a cage at the edge of the eglu run from predators as she can't run away? (Should I say put her in the house as the shed is too hot?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Hi Choccy (poor you!) I got a mesh pet carrier from our local pet store, it was about £20-ish. I took out the plastic tray in the bottom and attached two budgie feeders for water and pellets. I keep the hen in it 24 hours a day (I hated doing this), the cage was in a sheltered, shady part of the garden during the day, raised on bricks to encourage the airflow, and locked in the run (on bricks) during the night. It took 3 days of this to snap the last one out of broody mode and a week after that she started laying again. One of the days that Ruby was in the cage, it was hot, so I sprayed her with water to cool her down, which must have helped.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 2 days in the broody box was all Betty needed to pursuade her to stop I locked her in the shed at night and if I wasn't there but put her out next to the run so she had company when I was about I felt awful but it worked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 How about this for a bit of lateral thinking from my son. 1. Why doesn't Chocchick take Katy to Meadowhall? Its flippin' freezing in some of the shops with the air conditioning blasting away? 2. Take her for a long drive in the car with the air con on full blast. 3. Bring her indoors and aim a fan at her. All spoken in jest, but there may be the germ of an idea in there. Best of luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 Cage has arrived at OH's work. Watch out Susannah The little horrors managed to remove the extra roosting bars completely from the nest yesterday and put in the doorway, and I found Susannah on the nest on top of Trinny's egg. I'm starting to think it was cruel subjecting Su to water as she fluffs up like a puffer fish afterwards so I think just annoys her. OH would not let chicken inside car Could let her cluck round Meadowhell, could be interesting I bought Beth from the back of a van in Meadowhall car park (actually turned out to be from Terry Beebee from Practical Poultry magazine) Could try fanning her, but neighbours would think I'm barmy Thanks Claret/Louise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Good Luck Choccy I wish you were closer I could lend out my cage I have only needed it the once it is like insurance now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 OH said if I ordered a cage she would snap out of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 A bit like shaking the roasting dish at a non-laying chook Unfortunately it's the time of year for broodies, and this heat doesn't help. Try spraying her with water while she is in the bage Choc-ster - I did that to Rubes and it helped snap her out of it. I was trying to clean some poo off the mesh without letting her out and thought that it might help if she had a soaking too so I got it under her wings and on her tummy - she wasn't happy, but stopped brooding a day later and laid again a week later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 I think she's too busy escaping to be broody Trinny just keeps stealing what food she can from Susannah I turned the cage upside-down and taped chicken wire on the bottom as the bars are wide. The tray is on top, the holes are wide enough for a Susannah to squeeze out of apparently. I've found a heavy water container and moved it where I can keep an eye on her. I will put bricks in the nest and let her sleep in the eglu at night as it seems best for us. She looks less fluffed up than in the picture already. The cage packs flat which is good for storage. I got this cage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 That looks great Choccy, she doesn't look too hacked off! Let us know how she gets on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 She might be naughty, but she is very pretty Choccy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Thanks for that Choccy. I've just bought one too. It looks perfect for transport/broody problems. I'll be prepared now.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 (edited) She might be naughty, but she is very pretty Choccy She is so pretty fluffed up, and so easy to lift out and cuddle, I'm quite enjoying that part. She's quite hacked off trying to escape now (when I'm there ) She could only squeeze a shoulder on the nest last night, but squashed under poor Trinny's wing which she had out to keep cool. It actually seems quite big for transport, I'm not sure how easily it would go in a car. She is twice the size of a normal chicken fluffed up. There were smaller cages from the seller as well. Edited July 26, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Great pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 There are more on my blog, and some of a chicken being dunked in water the entry before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 isshe is going back in the eglu at night? You might find that she stays broody then It's hard, but if you want her back laying, then she needs to be in the cage 24/7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 I think the only place to put her is in the house (kitchen) otherwise as the shed is a deathtrap, the omlet run door too small, and the cage is not foxproof. The fox has got through the outside pen before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Oh dear! Sorry Chocs, I though that your cage was a similar size to mine, which just fits through the run door. Stick her in the house overnight then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 Your cage is probably to scale for cute little bantams Mine is 24" X 18" X 20" and can hold a Westie dog Maybe it's too big Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I reckon that you could get a big hen in it too, not a lot of turning space though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 You could fit your whole flock in mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I might bear that in mind if they all go broody at once Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 We kept the clucking cage in our kitchen last night. Will update if she snaps put of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Ruby lasted 3 days max. I have to admit that I gave her a drenching on day two though; it was very hot and i was trying to clean the cage without letting her out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
