Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[figarogir1]

Hi

James is very broody I have got her in a large dog crate up on bricks - that wasn't easy the mood she is in I am guessing that I take her out at night and put her in the cube to sleep with the others - I will block off the nest box. Is that right or should I leave her in the crate I am not sure how safe she will be from the fox that visits if she is visible during the night.

Any advice

thanks

clare

[abwsco]

You need to leave her in the crate providing she is in a secure area. Do you have a WIR that is secure or garage , shed or your house.

[figarogir1]

Thanks I will move her into the shed tonight - she is really sulking at the moment but started during the week and has gradually got worse so it is going to have to be this way

thanks for your help

Clare

[abwsco]

Happy to help Clare I've got a broody at the moment but am in two minds whether to use her to hatch again as she was so good last year or snap her out of it. Would be cheaper to hatch -lol as we will have to buy a crate. At the moment I'm just locking her out of her Go each day and keeping an eye on her.

[quickcluck]

I leave mine in there for a minimum of 3 days, it's horrid looking at them in there, but it's for their own good. When I let them out I keep my eye on them, and if she legs it back to the nest box she goes straight back in the cage for another 24hrs.

 

Just make sure she has food water and grit in there...

 

Good luck

[poachedegg]

We've just had a broody - so put her in the broody cage (aka dog crate on bricks) and it took 5 days and nights, whereas before it has only taken 3 days.

[poachedegg]

Would be cheaper to hatch -lol as we will have to buy a crate.

 

Don't know whereabouts in Lancashire you are - we are in Warrington, so if its not too far for you are more than welcome to borrow ours.

[abwsco]

Would be cheaper to hatch -lol as we will have to buy a crate.

 

Don't know whereabouts in Lancashire you are - we are in Warrington, so if its not too far for you are more than welcome to borrow ours.

 

Thanks for that very kind offer Poached but I think she's snapped out of it now. Mind you I did find a cheap one on ebay last night so ordered that just in case.

[the bradley bunch]

hi broody hen owners!

i don't want to sound really stupid but i'm a new chicken mummy and i was just reading this thread out of curiosity, and i was wondering if somebody could explain to me about 'broody' hens

obviously i know what being broody means, but i didn't realise such action would need to be taken if a hen goes broody! is it because they would just sit on the nest all day otherwise? do they lay a whole clutch or will they just sit on one egg? does this happen with hens when there's not a cockerel around...because surely the eggs wouldn't be fertile in this case so would the same action need to be taken?

i hope no one minds all my questions!

 

i found one of my newly home ex-bats sitting on an egg the other day (the funny thing is i don't think it was even hers!), she went and sat in the nest box for about 45 minutes before i got curious and went to check she was ok. when i saw what she was doing, she refused to move off the egg so i had reach in and swipe it from under her, to which she didnt take kindly and after pecking me got up and clucked off in a huff! (the egg was white and she normally lays brown eggs, and it was cold so i think it had been laid by one of our other girls earlier in the day).

since that day she hasn't laid us an egg, when before that she was laying everyday!

i don't know if her behaviour was fuelled by her feeling broody or something else (possibly to do with her being an ex-bat), and if her not laying since is just a coincidence... she seems happy enough anyhow and is her usual feisty but loveable self

[C&T]

Yep you are right - if you let a broody just sit, they start to lose condition - the silly things can forget to eat/drink and it is in their own interests to snap them out of it (unless you are planning to hatch of course!).

 

They are not bothered if the eggs are fertile, they are not bothered whose eggs they sit on, or indeed if there are any eggs to sit on - they just want to sit!

 

It sounds as though you may have a broody on your hands... Keep turfing her out of the nest box, and remove eggs as soon as you can (not always easy I know, especially if you are at work all day!) If she persists, then you can try dunking her regularly in cold water every couple of hours to reduce her body temperature till she stops , or putting her in a broody cage.

 

One of mine goes broody sometimes, although only half heartedly, and it is normally triggered by us not collecting the eggs one day if we are away or anything

[chickyhazel]

So many people think dunking hens in water is cruel compared to a broody cage, but I think that dunking is much better, kinder and more effective. After all, would you prefer one unpleasant shock and after that nothing, or being stuck in a cold cage on your own for 5 or more days???

[figarogir1]

Thanks for all the advice After 3 days in the broody cage James has come out tonight to fr and not gone near the nest box so I have my fingers crossed that she has snapped out of it will see how she goes tomorrow! I know what you mean chickyhazel every tome I looked at her in the crate on her own the bucket of water seemed more appealing

[abwsco]

So many people think dunking hens in water is cruel compared to a broody cage, but I think that dunking is much better, kinder and more effective. After all, would you prefer one unpleasant shock and after that nothing, or being stuck in a cold cage on your own for 5 or more days???

 

From what I've read it usually takes more than one cold water dunking to snap them out of it and around 3 days in a broody cage. Mines in solitary anyway due to feather plucking so the cage option is easier.