Unsecure chicken perches

[quickcluck]

A constantly broody chook

 

She's been broody 3 times in 6 weeks and has been in a cage for 4 days. Let her out yesterday and she stayed out she sleeps outside, but when I got up this morning to check them, there she was all fluffed up in her favorite spot!!!!

 

She looks like a battery hen stuck in there, can I be doing anything else? Is it ok for their health to be stuck in the cage or it there a maxium time limit?

 

Thanks

 

K

[The 3 D's]

could you not just let her get on with being broody. thats what i did with my two, but make sure she gets out regulary and eats and drinks. I know its not ideal but looks like her mind is set on being broody.

Matt

[Egluntyne]

If you don't intend to let her hatch, it really isn't in her best interests to allow her to just sit and sit. You have done the right thing by trying to break the habit.

 

They lose condition and weight quickly and become a magnet for parasites, red mite in particular.

 

I'd persevere with the broody cage.

[migsy]

It said in my Omlet guide to keeping chickens that you should dunk a broody hen in a bucket of cold water to lower her body temperature which rises when she is broody. Sounds a bit mean, but maybe it works.

[C&T]

It said in my Omlet guide to keeping chickens that you should dunk a broody hen in a bucket of cold water to lower her body temperature which rises when she is broody. Sounds a bit mean, but maybe it works.

 

Has worked for ours - but you need to do it ever couple of hours or so - or in this weather, every hour. Oh, and you also need to be prepared to have a shower yourself, as the chook can splash quite a lot.... I am also not sure it it works that well on a determined broody.

[The Dogmother]

I've never found the cold dunking approach to work, my persistent broody has just completed her 2nd consecutive session in The Cage of Shame.

[foreveryoung]

I brought sopme eggs and put them under her, she hatched one out of 6 eggs and shes never been broody since

[quickcluck]

Thanks, will keep her in till the weekend and try again..... she is desperate to get out though and shot past my at 100mph when I put some mash in her cage...

 

I have dunked before with harriet, needs to be a really hot day though, should have thought of it last weekend

[dottyhen]

My cuckoo maran started getting broody so after loosing one of my chooks last year through loss of condition going broody, stamped on it early

 

I got some of those ice cube bags and put a section of about 4 -6 cubes in bag under her and she soon shifted out of nest!

Repeated it a couple of times and touch wood, it seemed to snap her out of it

 

Worth a try

Alison

[quickcluck]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm thats interesting..... and one I will bear in mind!