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

[fluffyknickers]

'scuse the dramatics, had a rotten time recently and today had some further bad news about husbands work. Then got home and found the blooming birds (or something) have eaten the kids strawberries they are growing.

 

I then went to let the three girls out to free range and only the two gingernuts came out and NO pepperpot.

 

I was scared what I might find in the nest so opened it already near to tears (told you been bad day) and found her all plumped up and made a funny noise when i touched her. I lifted her up and found she was on top of the three egss from the day and when I lifted them they are SO hot.

 

I put her down on the floor and gave them a treat of some corn.

 

She then went back in the nest box.

 

Is she ill? Is she broody? Is she too young to be broody (only got her a few months ago at POL)?

 

What do I do? Was I wrong to take the eggs away - shall I put an egg back under her or keep taking her out the nest? Shall I dunk her in water!?

 

Please help.

Thanks

Michelle

Edited June 8, 2009 by Guest

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm so sorry to hear you've had bad news, Michelle . No wonder everything's upsetting you today . Shame about the strawberries too .

 

She definitely sounds broody to me. Unless you want chicks, you did the right thing taking the eggs away. You need to kick her off the nestbox whenever you find her on it (regardless of how cross she gets ).

 

You can dunk her nether regions in cool water - 2 or 3 times a day if you can. If the others have laid already, you can shut the eglu (although she'll probably just make a nest in the run somewhere). Last resort (which I resort to quickly now!) is a broody cage. One day in that can often snap them out of it.

[Egg Lou]

Poor you sounds like you have had enough today..

 

She sounds broody alright! I tried the dunking method but have to say the only thing that worked for me was the broody cage.. I use a white wire cat carrier.. but they do need a full 3 days as everytime I feel guilty I let them out and they go straight to the nest box so be firm!

 

Good Luck and hope you have a better day tomorrow!

[helen5848]

Michelle,

 

Just to say thanx for putting this post on! I'm going through exactly the same thing at the moment with my miss pepperpot too!

 

I'm glad of the tips!

[fluffyknickers]

Poor thing I feel dreadful for her. She must really want a little baby and cant have one .

 

I have just been very naughty and made some pellett porrdige and as she wouldnt come out I gave her some in the nest box . Before you all tell me off I know it was wrong (she is my favourite so this is hard!).

 

I dont have a wire cat basket thingy to put her in only a cat travel basket thing which is plastic all around apart from a wire front (use this to take them to the vet in). I assume it would be too small and not nice?

 

I was at work all day today and at work all day tomorrow so cant be here to keep getting her out or to dunk her or to put her in a cage for a bit.

 

I hope she doesnt stop the other two from laying.

 

Oh what to do!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It's not supposed to be nice, I'm afraid . You have to try to get the air round her rear end to lower her temperature and not give her anywhere to snuggle down . I didn't have a pet carrier so bought one like this (but smaller) from Ebay. It was about £20 (I've used it 3 times already ).

 

You could try the pet carrier but you need to have room for food and water. It might not be easy as you don't have anywhere to fix it, presumably .

[fluffyknickers]

Ah yes thought it was one of those - which I dont have (and dont know anyone with one). I wouldnt have anywhere to fit the water or food in the one I do have so wouldnt be happy with her in there.

 

Tomorrow morning I will go and tip her out of the nest before I go to work but then imagine she will go straight back in! If they have all laid I will shut the cube (they dont normally lay til later though).

 

When I get home will do the same again and maybe splash her hot areas.

 

Cruel to be kind hey.

x

[Egluntyne]

Kate's article on broody hens is full of useful advice and info

 

**Clicketty Click**

[Sky]

Sorry to hear about the rough time you are having at the moment Michelle. I panicked when my went broody but it doesn't last long provided you manage to keep her off the nest. We have just been through it for a second time with the same hen and I think that mine are slightly younger than yours. Provided you keep her off the nest while the other two are laying and then put her back and make sure that the nest is closed off for the rest of the day and night it should all pass within a few days but I have found that you do have to perserve. I was lifting mine out and putting her in a cage near the main run with food and water until about mid day when the others had laid and then closing the nesting boxes and putting her back. They seem to snap out of it pretty quickly provided they don't have anywhere comfortable to sit. Good luck - you will feel very proud of yourself once you have got through it once - I just dread having more than one on the go at once

[fluffyknickers]

Thanks everyone.

 

Went out this morning and she was in the nest all fluffed up and growled at me. i lifted her up and there was an egg under her (dont know if it was hers or not).

 

I removed the egg (it was SO hot) and picked her up and put her bottom up to the rain for a few seconds!!!

 

Then I took her round to the front and put her in the run.

 

I couldnt shut the door as the other girls hadnt laid and now I am at work so nothing I can do today.

 

Husband isnt in to the chickens much but he will get home before me so I will ask if he will remove her when he gets home (he doesnt like handling them!) and remove the eggs.

 

Tomorrow i am around more so I will tackle her then and maybe dunk her bottom

 

Her feathers are in the nest area and she has a bald belly so clearly getting her nest ready for her 'babies'.

 

I feel SO awful keep removing her and doing this but I know it has to be done. She would make such a lovely mummy .

 

The chickens have made me realise that I am too soft!