Unsecure chicken perches

[Lorraine W]

Hi All,

 

I have a broody chicken, she has been for about 2 weeks now. I have now seperated her from the other girls and placed a rubber egg under her. She has food and water.

 

Any other advice?

[Sue]

Hi - Do you want her to hatch out some eggs, or do you want her to start laying some eggs for you?

 

If the latter......

 

"The best way to encourage a broody back into lay is to put her in a pen of some sort on her own with just shavings and feed and water, if possible where the other birds can still see her. There is no quick fix . People may tell you to dip them in water or put them in drafty wire cages to cool them down ( a broody hen is probably no hotter than a normal hen but she has just removed her breast feathers and her bare skin feels hotter to the touch) A hens desire to brood is triggered by her breeding and the genes contained in the strain she comes from, and there seems little reason to punish her for something she can't help.

 

It will take at least 3-6 days before she snaps out of her broodiness, and will probably be 2 weeks before she starts laying again, and in my experience she will often just lay enough for another clutch and then sit again. But in any case she will need some TLC and plenty of fresh greens to start her laying cycle once more.."

 

Hope that's some help. If you want her to hatch eggs its a different story

 

All the best

Sue