Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[prof]

This is my first broody chicken as i have only been keeping them since oct 2009.

My pekin cross brahma has been broody and moody since friday. I noticed on fri that she was on the nest in the morn, and when i came home from work she was still there . i removed her from the nest, removed the egg, and shunted her out of the eglu. I then removed her nest (containing lots of fluffy feathers) and placed a football in there. This was a waste of time as she promptly marched back in and sat on the roosting bars!

On sat and sun i kept shunting her out and encouraged her to free range with the others and to eat treats. She wasnt impressed at all and just kept lifting up her tail feathers and flapping her wings when anyone or any hen went near her and making the most unusual noise

When i came home from work today she was still on the roosting bars in the eglu so i removed her but she just sat where i put her . I then filled up a trug with cold water and dunked her bottom into it .I did feel really mean about doing this . This had the result in making her move about and eat for about 3 mins, then she went back into the eglu on the bars again

I also noticed that her belly is bald.

should i give up and let her be broody and give her a nice comfy nest back? My other 6 hens seem to ignore her and they free range around her all day and then take themselves off to the cube at night leaving her to have the eglu to herself.

Or should i get the dog cage out and pop her in this?

Many thanks for any advice

[bronze]

I would go the dog cage option personally. Its not healthy for them to sit too long.

 

I've noticed birds on eggs get up feed themselves, poo outside etc but stubborn no egg brooders don't

[art12345]

sounds just like my peggy sue. A broody cage is the best option, like a dog crate that you put her in for 3 days with food and water and this should break the broody cycle.

[prof]

do i leave the dog cage outside in the free range area all day and night? or do i fetch it in shed/garage at night as it is still quite nippy?

thanks for your replies