Solitary chicken - need advice

[JB09]

Hi guys,

 

Dolly has gone all broody on me again, just when i thought we were getting back into the swing of things! I want to snap her out of it but I am at work all day tomorrow so the girls will be in thier run for most of the day until I get home. Do you think i should shut them out of the eglu or put something in the nest box? The only trouble is when my other hen Ginger needs to lay... Will she just lay in the run or on the roosting bars? Obviously I don't want to confuse them both so I'm not sure what to do for the best.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

JB x

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Maybe try putting a heavy china bowl of whatever nesting material you use on the roosting bars so Ginger at least has somewhere comfy to lay her egg in, or do you have a small dog crate or similar which you can tuck Dolly into, propped up on a couple of bricks with a bowl of food and water, so she can't get all warm & snuggly?

 

I've never had a proper broody (got 4 Orpies who are all pretending & getting bored after about 2-3 hours ) so I can't recommend from personal experience, sorry! Good luck with whatever method you try though.

 

Sha x

[Abbey Road Girl]

I have hybrid Pepperpots. Didn't expect them to go broody, but there have been occasions where one is stuck in the nestbox and looking a bit grouchy.

 

They have earlier experienced me going after them with a spray of diluted tea tree oil to stop them feather pecking. Oh, they did not like being sprayed at all. But they they are (guess what?) chicken!

 

When a hen seemed stuck in the nesting box (she might just be taking her time laying an egg), I eventually intruded with a gentle spray of the tea tree oil. Did the trick.

 

Lessons? 1. Get hybrids if you want to avoid brooding. 2. Teach them that a spray is something that they won't be too keen on. (3) Use it gently.