Unsecure chicken perches

[angusrose]

Hi all,

I've recently acquired some chickens and they've been laying quite happily for the last few months. However, one of them (Brown Sussex) has gone broody i.e. sitting on nest and getting irate if I approach. What should I do to 'cure' her of this?

 

Angus

[Busybird]

When one of mine became broody I turfed her off the nest box and closed the eglu to prevent her going back. I was lucky that, doing this for a few days seemed to sort the problem. I know that some people have had to resort to a broody cage - something like a dog crate of bricks with food and water available that they leave the hen in for a few days, day and night. I have also been told that dunking her in cold water helps but don't know anyone who has tried this!

 

A broody hen has a higher body temperature and this needs to be brought down to stop her being broody.

[chickenNutter]

Being new to chickens I have never had a broody before, but my frizzle who is coming up to a year old went broody about 2 weeks ago, and I put a soft ice pack, the sort you get from physiotherapists for injuries under a layer of easibed (to protect her from from ice burns etc) in the nesting area of the eglu, as dunking her bottom in a bucket of cold water that some people advocate seemd a bit brutal. I thought it may lower her body temperature as well as making the nesting area less comfortable. I also put a brick in it at night to keep her out of there. I regularly turfed her out for food and water during the day and it seems to have done the trick, she came back into lay after 10 days or so. She is also having a partial moult though and looks a right scruff!

[Mollie333]

Take her out, close the door, dont let her go in.

if she lays (doesnt normally happen when broody) take the egg from her and turf her off the nesting area.

sorry i cant help more, hope she is ok soon.

[Guest]

Tbh I would just let her cartry on going broody and collect the eggs asap I dont agree with moving her just because she goes into a natural state. Let her caryr on ok you lose out on eggs but she is happy.

[Egluntyne]

**Click** for article about broody hens.

[chickyhazel]

Just shutting her out of the nest box generally does it, but depending on the breed it can take a while.

[angusrose]

Excellent. Thanks for the replies. I've gone for the obstacle in the nest box, and I'll be putting freezer pack (wrapped in towel of course) in the box tomorrow. The other one is still laying.

 

Angus

[chickyhazel]

Good luck!

[The Dogmother]

Try this one.....

 

One of mine is currently in the 'cage of shame' she's happy because all the food is hers!

[coco]

Both my silkie crosses have been broody for weeks now. I have been leaving them to it but one loooks so motheaten I have turfed them both out and put them in the smaller house and run. Hopefuly with no eggs to sit on they wil snap out it soon.

[The Dogmother]

That's silkies for you! They'd brood a baked bean if you put it in the nest!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I put Blossom into my spare run, with a sheet of corrugated plastic over the top but kept the door shut on the house...she had a cage cup of food & a water container, a dustbath which she threw to the four winds in a thorough strop and a perch to sleep on up in the top of the run (she's only a pekin, so loads of room for her )

 

She spent 2 days marching up & down the run & giving all the big girls who happened to walk past her a piece of her tiny mind ..towards the end of the 3rd day I let her back in with the other Pekins & she's back to her usual self rather than the badtempered little banshee she had become ..and laying again I think

 

Sha x

[dozer]

Hiya Folks

 

My lot all take turns at going brooy the worst (longest sitter) is a wee white one that will have the fingers off you is you go near. my Orpingtons quite like a wee hug when they go broody. tryed everything but white she devil just moves onto the next nest box if hers is "chilly". come to th conclusion its mother nature and it wont last for ever so hay ho! got to run the risk of finger nipping for another week or so

[shoura]

One of mine (Cilla *again* ) has just started to go broody again---is it still too cold at night to put her in a wire cage in the WIR 24/7?