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

[fluffyknickers]

Nugget the was put in the cage yesterday (Weds) morning. All she has is water and food and is walking on the bars with the cage up on bricks (well not bricks but pots) - thats it.

 

I dont know if I am doing this right!

 

Last night I put her in the shed and covered her with a towel.

 

So is this all ok?

 

HOw long do I leave it before letting her out? Is it best to let her out at a certain time of day?

 

Am I supposed to be letting her out in the day to have a walk around?

 

I am hoping this works as its not pleasant!

 

Michelle

Edited September 11, 2009 by Guest

[Sammy]

Hi Michelle

 

I "chickened" out. I felt so cruelm so I know exactly what you mean, but I AM starting her tomorrow.

 

Nugget is up and she has food and water - sounds all right to me.

 

I understand its 3 days and nights so try her out on day 4 - no time out for good behaviour I'm afraid.

 

Sam

[Ain't Nobody Here]

You're doing it all just right . In the shed at night is fine, that's what I did. Three days seems to be the length of time required so I wouldn't let her out yet. I didn't let mine out at all in the three days - I'm hoping that was the right thing to do now .

 

If you don't think she's really entrenched in broodiness (sorry, can't remember without reading back!) you may find 2 days works. On one occasion, I had Molly in it for only one day and night and she snapped out of it by then - she was only showing slight broody signs.

 

It does seem cruel but just remember that it's not good for them to be broody unnecessarily .

[Sammy]

OK Michelle. I just drove down to Pets at Home and got 2 bird feeders (cheap plastic ones, but will do the job) that I can hook on to the cage as Vimto's knocking the food everywhere as she paces up and down.

 

She's in...here we go!

[fluffyknickers]

Great so seems ot be ok.

 

I justopened the crate door to top up food and water and she escaped! She obviously doesnt like it in there as ran away from me when I tried to catch her and made a right fuss.

 

How would I know if she still had broody signs or not!?

[Falkor]

Give her the opportunity to go back to the cube and if she heads straight for the nesting box you have your answer.

[fluffyknickers]

Ha! I thought so but didnt like to state the obvious!

 

Hmmm I think I will give her tonight in the shed and then see what she does if I let her out tomorrow - if she heads straight for nest will put her straight back in!

 

Michelle

[Ain't Nobody Here]

When I let Molly out after one day and night, she just started pecking around so I knew she was OK!

[fluffyknickers]

I am right at this moment sitting in the garden watching a very happy chicken have a 30minute long dust bath!

 

I let her out and she drank loads of water (she did have water in there) had a peck about then proceeded to bathe and still doing it now.

 

I am enjoying watching her so much she must feel very liberated after being so broody for so long and then in prison (broody cage).

 

I am going to try and go and get my camera but if I go to the kitcen and come out again the girls think I have s"Ooops, word censored!"s so get up.

 

She was in there for two days and two nights and then let out around lunchtime today.

 

Will be interesting to see when she starts laying again.

 

Thank you all so much for your help.

 

She looks very pale in the comb and probably lost weight so will get fattening up.

x

[poachedegg]

Looks like its working!

[sadietoo]

My late lamented Doodle was often broody, and I had to resort to the broody cage on almost a fortnightly basis. It wasn't because I wanted the eggs ..It was because I wanted her to be out and about free ranging and not stuck on the nest box pointlessly for day after day. (When I gave in to it once she was there for almost ten days, and lost loads of weight and was a real worry). I still felt like a complete heel everytime I put her in there though. I think I read somewhere that you can tell when they're getting less broody because their combs turn red again ( in Doodle's case she had a black comb so not an entirely helpful tip ). We didn't have a suitable place in a shed for her, and so at night time, I used to put the Broody cage up on bricks in the eglu run, (in the middle so the fox couldn't get close) and put a cover over it. Hope the spell in solitary has worked for your chicken Mazzy,...

[fluffyknickers]

Went in the garden this morning and all three were out in the run! yayayayaya!!!!

 

When she has been broody she was always in the nest.

 

Fingers crossed.

x

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Result .