Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[squidsin]

Two of my pekins have been broody for ages now - one for about three months, the other for six weeks. I've shut them out of the hen house from dawn until dusk for the past week and dunked them in cold water to cool them down, and they still show no signs of snapping out of it.I'm totally frustrated as I am off on 2 weeks holiday tomorrow (yippee) and my brother is cat- and chook-sitting for me, but I can't ask him to cater to the chickens' special needs other than feeding and watering them, and he works f/t anyway. By the time I get back they will probably be worse than ever - and knowing my luck, my third pekin will have joined them! How long can chickens stay broody? As there are two of them at it, are they making each other worse (I think they are)? Is it actually possible for them to be permanently broody? I am grateful for any advice! I might have to try the broody cage idea next time - I didn't as I haven't got one and I didn't realise how determined chickens can be and thought they'd snap out of it long before this! HELP!

[chicken bark]

I think you are right about the broody cage. I use a wire cat carrier up on bricks.

 

It really does work as long as you stick to it for about 3 days. I have had a hybrid go broody a couple of times this Summer and the cage has been my first port of call. I've not needed to dunk or do anything else.

 

Not sure what you can do while you are on holiday other than make sure that your brother ensures they eat and drink something and then do the cage thing as soon as you get back.

 

It is bad for a hens health to stay broody for too long.

[squidsin]

I know - the one who's been broody for 3 months has got quite skinny. I know she eats though as I make her, but she's definitely lost condition and I don't want this to go on much longer! Are they less likely to be broody over winter? Where do you put the cat carrier so foxes can't get to it? I've only got an Eglu classic with standard run and a small garden. Thanks for the advice.

[chicken bark]

I kept the cat carrier under a covered bit of run during the day. At night I moved it into my garage (still up on bricks). Theoretically you are supposed to keep it in the run all the time as light and cold affect the broodiness.

 

Another approach I have read if the broody cage doesn't work after 3 days is to put the broody cage in your living room (or somewhere light, noisy and busy) with the view that the chicken won't think it a suitable place to raise chicks so stop being broody. Not tried that myself though.

 

I think they will be less broody over the winter as they know cold and wet is not a good environment for chicks.

 

Good luck I hope they stop soon.

[chickenNutter]

I am having a similar problem with my two bantams who I am convinced are making each other worse. The minute one is broody, the other appears fascinated and keeps 'visiting' her in the nest box, eventually joining her. As I have an eglu classic, they will practically sit on each other's heads to get in the one nest box!

 

I bought a wire cat carrier for use as ab broody box, and it fits in the end of a classic Eglu run extension no problem, but I put her in the outhouse at night for safety and weatherproofing. They both respond and snap out of it, but inevitably one or other is broody again within a fornight. My frizzle has definitely lost condition, although the current broody, Hettie, who has gone in the cooler today, is looking fine.

 

I don't know what the answer is. I think bantams are just good Mums and are prone to it, so you just have to keep snapping them out of it with the broody box repeatedly to keep it to a minimum.

 

Drives me mad too!