Nacktschnecken omlet Cube

[Minkey]

Hello,

 

I got 4 new Pekins yesterday & the lady I got them from said that the 2 buff ones were currently broody. They were indeed both sitting in nesting boxes whilst we were there. Since they have been with us however they haven't been in the nesting box at all & seem to be eating & drinking fine & pootling about, although they do sit down in their run quite alot - is this normal, do they sound broody?

 

Thanks,

 

Minkey

[chickenNutter]

Are they laying? One of my bantams went broody and stopped laying for about 10 days and spent the time 'flumped' in the nestbox with her bum in the air. I kept putting Ice packs under the shavings in the nestboxto make it less hospitable and eventually she stopped being broody and came back into lay. Now the other bantam has gone broody - is still laying occasionally but flumps all day in the nestbox, and now the first one has started flumping and laying intermittantly too! As we have an eglu and only one nestbox, whoever gets in first, the other one just sits on her head and they both stay flumped in there bickering for space unless I turf them out. My only other hen, a Welsummer thinks they are both bonkers and is getting exceedingly cross as every time she goes in to lay, the nest box is full of flumped bantam. They are driving me mad!

 

If yours are out in the run, and laying, it doesn't sound like broodiness to me. let us know how you get on.

[Minkey]

Thanks,

 

No they are not laying, but having just been moved I thought even if they were this might well affect them laying? I have only had one of them laying so far. Do broody hens always spend all theri time in the house?

 

Minkey

[chickyhazel]

As far as I know, broody hens spend their time in the nestbox and don't lay. Thye also object noisily to being moved.

 

Lying down in the run is normal - ours lie down and dustbathe, and sometimes just lie down and go to sleep!

[Minkey]

I don't think they are broody then - perhaps the move to us has stopped it Hopefully we might gets some eggs from them soon then. Thanks

 

Minkey

[Jools]

It is more than likely that the move has snapped them out of their broodiness, but don't worry, they'll soon be at it again!

[Minkey]

Jools, yes you are probably right

 

Minkey

[chickenNutter]

Gone and bought a wire cage today. Feel mean but Mabel is going in the cooler from tomorrow, and once she has snapped out of it, Hetty is following her in there. Ruby the Welsummer laid her egg on the ground outside the eglu in desperation today. Feel mean, but desperate actions call for desperate measures, and Mabel is losing weight and has plucked her undercarriage bare.

 

Mean nasty Chicken Mummy

[Minkey]

Not mean, just necessary! Hope they snap out of it for you soon.

 

Minkey

[skye]

Hi Chicken Nutter,

 

Try not to feel mean, I did too, but only three days later to see my girl running around happily with her friends, getting all her exercise and eating all her pellets and water was enough to make me feel like I'd done the right thing!

 

As I wasn't at work at the time, I was able to let her out to fr with her friends for an hour or so a day (keeping a close eye on her in case she found her way to the nest!) and that helped both to monitor her condition and keep her in with her gang

 

Good luck!

skye x

[chickenNutter]

Cheers Skye, I still feel awful though. OH is calling her the 'Cooler Kid' (from The Great Escape) already.

[skye]

Ahhhh. I know it's hard. I felt terrible too. They aren't very happy about being put in at first but they do calm down a bit. My Ruby is an Orpington and hence very heavy so I was worried about her hurting her feet on the metal thin bars. I ended up putting roosting bars from our old eglu in there and she seemed much more comfy after that.

 

And the funny thing was, all the other chickens were so miffed she was in there with all that food and water and they couldn't get in... kept sticking their heads through the bars trying to eat some of her pellets! As soon as the door was opened they were straight in there having a look around

 

Good luck and I'm sure she will be feeling much better very soon. Keep us posted on your progress!

 

skye x