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

[miss-hennypenny]

Gloria, my Wyandotte bantam is turning broody again only two weeks after her last full blown session. She had resumed laying but yesterday started showing those dreaded tell-tale signs. "Oh no, surely not!", I exclaimed. What a pain I know Wyandottes are good sitters, but is this normal? She is currently sitting tight on an ice pack!

 

Ideas anyone?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

As soon as Molly showed the signs, I bunged her in a broody cage. Took her out at night to sleep in the eglu and the next morning she was back to normal. I think the trick is to catch it early and take drastic action (ie the cage ).

[Kt Brown]

Hi, one of my girls has gone broody for the last three Springs in a row!!! I have tried dunking her in cool water, sitting her on a cake rake for a few days, confining her to the great outdoors and sunshine, Ice packs etc etc etc!!!! In the end a friend gave me one of her day olds, I put it under Imogen during the night and the next morning she was so pleased with herself. She is a natural mother so I will do this again this year. She has now 'hatched' a cream legbar 2007 and two buff brahma bantams 2008.

[miss-hennypenny]

It's her rapid return to broodiness that's got me baffled!

 

She was 'full term' broody in April and has had 2 weeks of normality and egg laying but has now gone broody again. What a pain! I thought they were supposed to go broody just twice a year- Spring and Summer?

 

If I manage to snap her out of it, who's to say she won't keep doing it throughout the rest of Spring and Summer. It's not as if her eggs are anything to go by- she's head bird but lays the smallest torpedo shaped eggs! However, it's the inconvenience of it all. Hmmm......perhaps hybrids or Leghorns are the way to go next time!

[The Dogmother]

Some birds are just more prone to it than others.

 

I find that 3 days solid (i.e. 24/7) in the broody cage soon sorts them out. Dunking has never worked for mine and they hate it too.

[Tessa the Duchess]

I too would endorse using a broody cage. My Annie used to go broody at the drop of a hat and the broodiness would last for weeks 48 hours in a broody cage totally put a stop to it and, fingers crossed, she has never gone broody since. Try one, they really work.

 

Tessa

[The Dogmother]

I have some hesn who are broody off and on all of the warm months and others who have never been broody. Unless I want them to brood for hatching, or to lend out for hatching, then I give them a couple of days at it to rest from laying, then pop them in the slammer.

[miss-hennypenny]

Thanks Claret and Tessa, sound advice. Seems more 'hardcore' treatment is called for if I'm to get the better of this determined girl!!

[The Dogmother]

Don't worry, she'll shout at you for a few minutes until she realises that she has food and water all to herself!

[Egluntyne]

I have Fenton Blue who has been broody three times this year.

 

I did snap her out of it about a month ago with a borrowed dog crate., but she has reverted.

 

A dunking yesterday and confining away from the nest box yesterday seemed to help.

 

I am going to have to invest in a crate I think....I can't keep borrowing.

[speckled hen]

Sorry to sound stupid but what is a broody cage? Daisy is broody and hogging the nest box, I would like to try a cage, what do I need?

[Lewis]

If you buy a small dog crate (with wire ones not plastic), you can use that. Pop her in it and make sure the air gets all around her (some people hand them up from a branch etc.

 

It will cool her down and hopefully snap her out of the broodyness.

[Egluntyne]

Article re broody hens **here**

[The Dogmother]

I'll post a picture next time one of my horrors is in it.

[alison]

I put a wanted ad on my local Freecycle and someone kindly offered me a dog crate - big enough for a Weini! My Sussex has been in it for the last three days, back in the pen last night, so far so good!

 

She has been broody twice now, the minx better not do it next week when my neighbour is looking after them!

[miss-hennypenny]

Ha, I know! My mother, auntie and their friend are coming to house and hen sit from next weekend while we are away on holiday. I really wouldn't want them to experience the "WRATH OF GLORIA"!!!!

 

I haven't managed to get her a cage yet, but am persevering with frequently renewed ice blocks and shutting out of the nest box combo while keeping an eye on the other two if they need to lay.

 

I have two nest boxes and to be honest, even though there's a vacant one, the other girls seem to be put off if Gloria's already in there such is her demeanor at the moment!

[Barkisland]

My Light Sussex goes broody for 3 weeks out of every 7. Clamped to the nest for 25 days, comes out, resumes laying after 7 days, broody again after 25 days . Tried 3 days & nights in the broody cage, it didn't work, and I just cannot bring myself to dunk her - that seems cruel.

[miss-hennypenny]

OMG! I fear my girl is heading that way too.

[The Dogmother]

Shake the roasting tin at them!

 

Seriously, once some of them get hormonal and hot, they're hard to shake out of it. Bit like me really