3happyhens Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Have read the info about the broody cage ... My Speckledy has been broody for nearly three weeks now & shows no sign of coming out of it (didn't waste any time, she only started laying around Easter!) Is it worth getting a wire animal carrier & putting her in there for a few days or should we just wait for her to come through the broody phase as she's been like it for a while? Thanks for any advice! Flo (arrived July '08) Martha (arrived March '10) Mildred (arrived March '10) Nell RIP March '10 Gertie RIP March '10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Definitely worth getting a broody cage. It is unhealthy for hens to stay broody as they lose condition quickly and can become very ill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Instructions here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 I bought one off Ebay for about £20. Worked a treat . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajayb Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Definitely recommend using a broody cage of some sort (we made one out of sheep hurdles and tarpaulin). Last year - my first summer with hens - 3 of my pure breeds went broody in quick succession and, having tried half-heartedly to dissuade them, I let them go the whole 3 weeks each. This year - alert to the signs - I popped them into a broody cage instantly in the morning, letting them out in the late afternoon when all the other girls had produced their eggs, keeping the eglu door shut until bedtime. It took no more than 3 days for them to snap out of it (too many '3's in this post ...!) As mentioned in earlier posts, if left to brood they lose condition, can attract pests and are aggressive towards the other birds trying to get into the nest box (you'll also find eggs all over the place if your hens free-range and can't get access to the eglu to lay). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Ivory is in ours at the moment, had to use it a couple of times last year and it did the trick. Well worth getting one. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3happyhens Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. Broody cage on its way! Hadn't realised it was bad for chickens to have a broody period. Mildred doesn't seem any different so far, apart from pulling her feathers out to keep the nesting box warmed up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
