Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[THF Nick]

It appears that we are about to encounter our 2nd broody hen (Little beak) and I find myself in some what of a dilemma.

 

Having researched the topic on here and other forums there seem to be a number of options to nip it in the bud early but when reading the Self Sufficiency bible by John Seymour he is adamant that you should never stop a broody hen from being broody and let nature take it's course. The local farmer say similar.

 

I'd be interested in people comments on that?

[C&T]

Personally, I do my best to stop them.

 

They can lost condition quite quickly as I understand it and become prone to mites etc - you would have to ensure that you forced her off the nest to eat/drink/poo once or twice a day as well I believe. Plus ensure any other hens have somewhere to lay while the broody one is hogging a nesting box!

 

I know it's a natural instinct - and if I wanted to hatch eggs then it has to be a good way of doing it - but as I am not hatching eggs, why let the hen lose condition and become potentially ill for nothing?

 

I guess a farmer with many hens can "afford" to leave them to it. Mine are pets, so I treat them differently. Nothing wrong with either approach - just different!

[Redwing]

Thats a good post C&T, well worded I agree with that

[art12345]

i dont let mine be broody. i now have a dog cage perminantly set up adove their roofed sand bath and any signs of broodyness bung them straight in for 3 days.

[Egluntyne]

I stop mine being broody, for the reasons C&T states.

[tooties]

I've had my first experiences with broodiness this year.

 

The first time I dunked Norah and then resorted to a broody cage - she snapped out of it pretty sharpish then.

 

The next time, I decided to let nature take its course. I gave her an egg to sit on and turfed her off the nest once a day to ensure she ate etc. However, that was 3rd wk of July and she shows no sign of giving up 5/6 wks on. Shes lost weight and I discovered a week ago she was absolutely covered in red mite - which she didn't have less than 48 hrs previously.

 

I shall be getting the broody cage out this wkend methinks!!

[Sue]

Often if you break a broody, which you quite easily can - simply by putting her in a cage without bedding, but in sight of the others in the flock, (obviously with food and water available) You will find she will probably come into lay again quite quickly, but will then simply lay enough eggs for another good clutch then want to sit again.

 

I think it is purely genetic plus the right climatic conditions to encourage the hen to feel she will have a successful hatch. I think they know far more about the humidity and climate conducive to hatching.

 

Also there a few more entrancing sights than watching a protective broody hen escorting her little charges.

 

All the best

Sue

[chuckmum6]

I would agree with all that is said, what will the hen gain from fruitless sitting? It is very demanding and they will lose condition and will also sit for weeks if really determined. I did hatch out this year with two hens and it was a total joy. However it was only once and at the first sign of brooding they head for chicken prison (guinea pig run on pebbles) it takes a while but they do give up, and I think are better for it. You also find that when they are away from the main flock for a time the pecking order is disturbed and you have to reintegrate again. At this time of the year it is more challenging too as they weather changes.

[THF Nick]

Thanks for the comments so so.

 

Perhaps I should have add that both John Seymour and the farmer seem to agree that breaking the broody cycle is bad for the long term health of the hen and hens allowed to go broody remain more productive for longer.

 

I've let her out of the run this morning and she is currently making her usual attempts to break into the kitchen to eat the cat food. She has been sitting on two of her own eggs for a day now and I was thinking about allowing her to hatch them out. How long can a hen be off her eggs before they become to cold?

[chuckmum6]

20 mins

[Chicken Shirl]

Good for you letting your hen hatch.

 

Two of my chooks are in their 7th year and have always been left to be broody. One of those is still laying and is broody and sitting on her eggs at the moment. Just praying that they are fertile and we get some of her chicks. She has only ever hatched the chicks of other hens in the past.............I am pro leaving them to be broody and recover in their own time. I do however know how difficult that can be when you work full time and have nowhere for the other hens to lay.

 

I am an avid reader of "Mr Seymour" he has saved the lives of two of my hens along with

"Juliette De Bairacli Levy" Her book "The Complete Herbal handbook For Farm and Stable" is only available second hand now but well worth searching for. The poultry chapter is my bible.

 

Lots of luck with your hatch.

[the bradley bunch]

hi nick,

 

i noticed from your signature that Little Beak is an ex-bat. i recently encountered the same dilemma with my ex-bat Doris, and was strongly advised (via some helpful fellow omletters ) not to let her brood as hybrids don't normally make good mothers, and if i was lucky enough to have her sit on the eggs until they hatched, she would be very unlikely to raise the chicks . i've quoted below one of the posts i had in response to my similar 'to brood or not to brood' question, which pretty much summarises the advice i was given.

 

She obviously has the urge but not the maternal instinct. It's unlikely she'd raise chicks as she may abandon them once they hatch.

 

My hybrid hen is a real part time broody. She'll sit on the nest for hours, fluffed up, screaming and pecking... then decide she's had enough (though is still a madam). She'd be useless as a 'mother hen' though as she is so quick to leave the nest.

 

Just keep collecting the eggs as soon as possible and leave her to get over it!

 

your post about Little Beak already being off the nest and looking for treats i think proves that hybrids really are part time broodies!

chuckmums note about the demands of fruitless brooding and the effect it has on the bird's condition is also something you should strongly consider before letting her brood.

 

i can completely sympathise with your dilemma and the feeling of guilt at throwing a brood out of her nest, and also the desire to have one of your chooks hatch some little chickadees... but at the end of the day you don't want to have a poorly hen or some abandoned chicks on your hands, and the advice i got to collect the eggs asap worked a treat and doris soon stopped her sulking and got back to getting up to mischief with her sisters and concerning herself with stealing treats within just a few days!

[goodinparts]

Broody Brigid has just emerged from 3 days in the cage of shame - and seems to be cured of her short term broodyness...In the spring, I'd be very happy to give her something worth sitting on - but at this time of year it just seemed impractical on every front so I popped her in a puppy cage on bricks, in full view of her sisters, and we sat it out.

She hated it - which meant that I hated it too.........but when I let her out today, she was really pleased to join her sisters in blitzing the garden and showed no unhealthy longing to retire to the eglu - I think that being cruel to be kind has worked. Do hope so - the playground seemed really empty when only 2 chooks had the fun of it.