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

[Freakin Pekin]

Hi everyone. This is our first post so here goes.

 

We've had Dandelion and Burdock since February this year. Check out the Gallery section.

 

They both began laying in March.

 

Burdock became broody first, in April, with dandelion following ten days later.

Since then Burdock has become broody approx' every ten weeks.

She is currently mid way through her third bout of broodiness. Dandelion has only been broody twice and so far shows no sign. Her comb and wattles are still very red compared to Burdock and she is very active in the garden.

 

When we are home they have free range of the garden, about five hours a day(more at weekends). We feed them spinach in the morning prior to being put back in the Eglu for the day.

They have constant access to pellet food/water etc and are given mixed seeds (a dessert spoon full) or sunflower seeds as treats when we come home.

The mixed seeds are not eaten completely. They're a little picky leaving most. The wild birds get the rest.

We stopped feeding grain in early May. Oh, we I also sneak them some freeze dried meal worms two or three times a week.

 

My question for you all is this.......

 

Does this amount of carbohydrate in their diet contribute to them becoming broody?

 

Or is Burdock just highly maturnal?

 

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[Egluntyne]

Are they Pekins? I can't see a link to your gallery.

 

Pekins are notorious for going broody, especially at tis time of year.

 

There is a useful article about dealing with broody hens **here**.

 

I don't think that the amount of carbs in their diet will make a huge difference to their broodiness, but you could always alter the diet and see if it has an impact.

 

It isn't a good idea to over do the threats, as it makes them fat and affects laying.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Egluntine, they are Pekins, gorgeous little Golden Partridge ones......they are my "holiday chooks" and thoroughly adorable...my DS & DD are convinced we need Pekins after the twins came to stay . Their pics are here (I hope!).....http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=212884.

 

Mr FP & I were chatting yesterday & wondered whether the extra carbs were raising their temps & increasing their broodiness, or as he says are they just maternal little poppets?

 

**waves Hi I&J, D&B!**

 

Sha x

[The Dogmother]

I have pekins and they are always broody, different diets don't seem to make any odds.

 

Having said that, you seem to give them lots of treats - their general health and laying abiity will improve if you cut these down; feed mostly pellets with just a handful of treats late in the day. The only exception to this would be soem greens in their run in the afternoon.

 

Lovely girls

[MedusA]

One of my Silkies is persistently prone to broodiness.

 

All my 7 girls eat exactly the same diet, so I think it's more likely temperment than diet.

[Scramble]

I think its just that Pekins love to be broody

 

Chickpea was only 3 weeks bless her but Yolko

6 and a half weeks

Madam

 

They do get the same diet though, but Yolko is a very fluffy chicken, I thought she was getting fat until I picked her up and felt what was actually her

I think it may be as Yolko is so much fluffyer (? ) her body temperature may be naturally higher so she is more inclined to go broody

 

You have gorgeous Pekins though

[The Dogmother]

Pekins, silkies and orps are all champion brooders.

 

I find that it's usually the fluffier birds who like to brood.

 

I've been busy with the broody cage and all of mine are now off the nest

[Cinnamon]

Interesting,though,isn't it?

 

Carbs do raise your body temperature, so there may be a slight risk,I guess.

 

My Pekin has been brooding for 3 weeks now - haven't the heart to bang her up in the cage as she looks so sweet pancaked out in the nest box

[Scramble]

That what I though

 

I just had to lift her out everyday so she ate and drank and did one ginormous stinky pooh

 

Often though, she'd scream and try try diggin her nails into the plastic side of the nest box when I lifted her

 

When it was over, she had to be cleaned and have a pedicure

nails grow quickly when chickens to don't dig

[Freakin Pekin]

Hi Wild Mum.

 

Yep. That link found our little rascals ok.

 

Cinnamon caught the gist of my question. We feed our chooks wheat and maize throughout the winter to help them produce body heat but in high summer too many carbs would still raise their body temperature.

Having read the link from Egluntine it would seem a hot chook is a broody chook.

 

Anyway, I can assure everyone that they do not get everything every day. It's spinach one day, something else the next.

Today they've had nothing. Just a good root around the garden.

 

Burdock comes out morning and evening for about half an hour scratching and watering then remembers she's broody and clucks back to the eglu. This evening she went straight for the ground under the wild bird feeder to see if there were any tasty bits.

Scrambles comment is very true too.

 

Dandelion is little 'miss independent' and has now found that she has an escape hatch in the side of the eglu when it's open. She is quite partial to chicory leaves too and shows no sign of going broody.

 

I could chat for ages about them both and enjoyed reading all your replys. I'm sure i'll have more questions soon.

 

Best wishes

FP

 

 

 

 

Egluntine, they are Pekins, gorgeous little Golden Partridge ones......they are my "holiday chooks" and thoroughly adorable...my DS & DD are convinced we need Pekins after the twins came to stay . Their pics are here (I hope!).....http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=212884.

 

Mr FP & I were chatting yesterday & wondered whether the extra carbs were raising their temps & increasing their broodiness, or as he says are they just maternal little poppets?

 

**waves Hi I&J, D&B!**

 

Sha x

[chickenanne]

My dad used to keep silkies as broodies (to hatch eggs). He fed corn when he wanted to encourage maternal instinct! Am not sure how much is an old-wives tale, and nothing will impact the desire to be broody as much as breed and temperament and time of year, but all the same I'd cut down on carbs anyway.