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

[DianeB]

I've got two broody hens, and they've been like it for at least a month now. I tried dipping them in cold water, shutting them out of the eglu and putting a brick on the nesting box, but nothing seems to snap them out of it. Actually, I need to put two bricks in the nesting box, as the dippy things will sit on one brick thinking it's an egg. How daft can they get?!Problem is, I've got another hen who's still laying, and until she's laid during the day, I can't shut the others out. Also, been away for 10 days and I bet they've done nothing but sit on the nesting box all that time.

 

So, all I'm doing at the minute is waiting until laying hen has laid, then shutting the door. The other two will scratch around and feed for a while, then sit in a rather brain-dead sort of way outside the door until I open it again in the evening. I thought you could sit it out, and everything would be back to normal in 3-4 weeks, but I WANT MY POACHED EGG FOR LUNCH!!! And hubby is muttering words like tikka masala under his breath. Any suggestions please? Will they ever lay again?

[hilda-and-evadne]

I have just started putting one of those reusable rigid plastic cold pack things (which had been in the 'fridge all night) into the nest box in the morning. It is about the size of a small paperback book and doesn't seem to put off the laying hens but the broody hen has stayed off the nest box all day.

 

I've had the cold pack for about 20 years so can't remember where I bought it. (I also have a floppy plastic reusable cold pack but I thought that the hens might be able to puncture it with their beaks.)

[freckles]

Yup been there... tried the water dunking, ice packs, ice cubes even! The only thing that worked was 2 days and a night in the broody cage. She let us know she wasn't broody any more by escaping! Can you beg, steal, borrow anything resembling a cage?

[Egluntyne]

I sued the ice packs last year and they worked well on one of my pepperpots who was broody.

 

I tried them again this year on Hufflepuff who was very determined and they didn't work at all.

 

A borrowed dog crate did seem to do the trick, but 10 days later we were back to square one.

 

She is now on maternity leave, sitting on a clutch of eggs at another Omleteers house.

[rabbitfluff]

My broody has been so about a month now too. Ice packs worked on her last year but this time they didn't have any affect, especially as she seems to have the ability to thaw one out in about 2 hours so you're forever changing them.

 

I left her to it to see if she'd snap out of it on her own and I've even tried a bit of a heart to heart with her but she's still sat there like a lemon. So this weekend I'm trying her in a dog cage I bought, but if that doesn't work I'll have to use her as a tea cosy or something.

[skye]

Use her as a tea cosy or something!! Made me giggle! Bless er.

[The Dogmother]

I use a broody cage every time and it works without fail.

[Tessa the Duchess]

I use a broody cage every time and it works without fail.

 

I second that! Not to depress you or anything but one of my chickens was broody

for 10 weeks, the broody cage snapped her out of it in 2 days.

 

Tessa

[Barkisland]

Sorry to report that the broody cage doesn't work for my very determined Light Sussex who goes broody on a 8 week cycle: 3 weeks laying well, 1 week laying less often and hanging around in the nest box, 3 weeks resolutely broody, 1 week out and about but not laying, and repeat.

She only started laying at New Year, and is currently on her 4th broody spell.

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to report that the broody cage doesn't work for my very determined Light Sussex who goes broody on a 8 week cycle: 3 weeks laying well, 1 week laying less often and hanging around in the nest box, 3 weeks resolutely broody, 1 week out and about but not laying, and repeat.

She only started laying at New Year, and is currently on her 4th broody spell.

 

Light sussex are good 'pot birds', best remind her of that I threaten my malingerers with the roasting dish every now and then.

 

Seriously though, I have a couple of retired ladies and they just love to sunbathe all day.

[Phoebe]

what is a broody cage please ?

I had my first experience of a broody hen today - I just lifted her off the the eggs and she went outside, but I'd like to be prepared if she gets persistent