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

[feleena4]

Help!! Yoko seems to be broody (staying on the nest all day today, feathers fluffed up) and I'm going on my holidays in three days time.

My chickens usually free range all day in the garden and then into the eglu after teatime. But whilst I'm away they will be in the eglu day and night. (My dad is calling everyday to feed them). What advice can anyone give me? If I put something into the nest will it interupt the other chickens ?

I don't want to come back to find no-one laying!

Please help if you can!!

[PurpleTree]

I had a feeling one of my girls, Mash was going broody before I went on hols, and sure enough she did - well and truly. I was away for 2 weeks and my dad was calling around every day, he didn't know what to do so he just lifted her off the nest and collected any eggs. I didn't find out she was broody until I got back when I realised I hadn't seen her come out of the Eglu all morning, I tried the dunking in cold water but it didn't really work, so I just carried on pushing her off the nest whenever I could. She came out it herself about a week later.

 

So maybe if your dad can just push her off the nest whenever he's there, so she eats and drinks. My other two just sat on the nest with her and laid like normal. Maybe try dunking her over the next couple of days before you go.

[Egluntyne]

Article about the management of broody hens **here**