Unsecure chicken perches

[Lulabellx1]

Hi All

 

This is the first year we have kept hens and we have got 3 light sussex girls called Kelly, Fiona and Charlotte. This summer Charlotte and Kelly went broody (fiona did not). Charlotte was first and 2 weeks later Kelly decided to join her. This all kicked off about 2 months ago. Charlotte was less aggressive than Kelly, she came out for some food and water every day and snapped out of it after 3 weeks and started laying again. Kelly was much more aggressive with it, she didn't eat or drink and we found that we had to lift her out of the nest box to collect the other girls eggs and get her to have some water and food. We have removed the eggs every morning but she has still not snapped out of it. She has been broody for about 6 weeks now.

 

We evicted her from the nest box again today (as we have been doing at least once a day) and I notcied that her comb was a lot less red and perky than Fiona & Charlottes. The other two girls are in fine health and laying well...

 

We just dont really know what to do to snap her out of it and this has been going on for much longer than it should now!!

 

Has anyone had any experience of this before?

 

Lu x

[Egluntyne]

Useful article **here** from the FAQ section, re dealing with broody hens.

 

I'd try the dog crate method suggested. I find it works every time.

[Lulabellx1]

Thanks Egluntyne. I read that before I posted but there doesn't seem to be any information on there about whether it is common for a hen to carry on being broody for longer than the usual 3 week period.

 

Has anyone else had experience of this? Im worried she may never snap out of it!

 

It's hard to put something in the nest box to deter her because we have three hens using the same nest box. Luckily they all lay by about 10.30am so once we have our eggs I am going to put something in the nest box for the rest of the day so she cant sit there all day at least.

 

She actually came out this morning with the others for about half an hour... but now she is right back in her favourite spot!

 

Loops x

[Laura & CTB]

Hi Lu

I have 2 cochins who love being broody! One usually does only go the 3 weeks but the other has gone for a five week spell followed by a six week.

I dont use a broody cage but let them get on with it. The broody gets thrown out of the cube first thing in the morning for a quick feed and exercise with the others before she heads back to the nest. When I get home from work (3ish) I take her out of the cube again and shut the door so she spends the rest of the day in the garden with the other girls. It's important when they're broody for so long to make sure they eat and drink loads and I also give them suppliments to keep them healthy. They do give it up eventually and start laying again about ten days later.

[beach chick]

I've always found the broody coop to be the best solution, simply because it means that you are not having to faff around with evicting broodies and making sure the others get their nest time.

we use a puppy crate, on bricks, next to the cube. food and water go in there, along with the broody, and usually 48 hours later they have snapped out. if not, they go back in. it does feel quite horrible doing it, but I reckon it's better for the chook.

[hippy chick]

I have got the same problem with Penny She has been broody now for 4 weeks, I tried the dog crate for two days..... that didn't help. I tried dunking her and that didn't help either So now I have to keep turfing her out of the NB every couple of hours She would sit in the empty NB all day if I let her

My other 6 chucks must be getting a bit fed up of having to que up to use the spare nest box

[Cambridge chiks]

I was just going to post a similar appeal for advice. We used to have 3 chickens until the fox got one so now we only have 2. Geri- a Magpie has gone broody every year. Last year we tried dunking her in cold water, evicting her from the nesting box and eventually the broody cage which after 3 days worked. This year her broodiness has become ridiculous. She has been broody since May (coming up to 6 months now!) with a 3 week spell of non- broodiness during August. We once again tried dunking, which would only work for spells of 10 mins, and the broody cage- but when she saw it she became so distressed she kept thrashing around inside it and hurting herself! (who says chickens don't have a memory!) We even tried giving her a clutch of fertilized eggs to hatch- but for some reason none did. I have settled for locking her out every day but the problem is that with only 2 chickens her pal Margo is so lonely! She spends all day alone and sits watching us and calling for attention. I really don't have any idea what to do with the blasted chicken anymore- I have even considered the pot! I thought that one solution could be to get another chicken, that way at least Margo is not alone- but can anyone recommend a docile breed that will NOT be inclined to go broody!? My husband is so fed up that he wants to get rid of the chickens altogether which would make me very sad indeed....

Anyone got any advice at all or need a broody hen? Help we're desperate!

[Egluntyne]

Thanks Egluntyne. I read that before I posted but there doesn't seem to be any information on there about whether it is common for a hen to carry on being broody for longer than the usual 3 week period.

 

It isn't unusual. I had one go on for a couple of months. I ended up getting the crate, and she snapped out of it within a few days.

 

I'd use the crate method as outlined in the article, and get her back to normal before the cold weather takes hold , as she will be in a poor nutritional state and might find it challenging.

[Roobaloo]

Toph, my hybrid hen (also a Magpie, oddly enough) went broody and it lasted a few months. At first it was just spending a little longer in the nestbox, then she became aggressive....shutting her out the elgu wasn't enough. We had the same issue, we only have two hens and Suki was getting very stressed by herself.

 

In the end, I crated her. We don't have a dog crate so we used panels from a rabbit run and propped it up on bricks to get the air underneath her. She was in the for about 4 days....she showed signs of giving up after the second day and I released her but she immediately fluffed herself up and resumed broody behaviour. So she went back in the crate.

 

She hasn't been broody since!

 

So long as she has food, water and the crate is sheltered and safe (mine was in the WIR), I would leave her in there until she snaps...and she will.

[Roobaloo]

the broody cage- but when she saw it she became so distressed she kept thrashing around inside it and hurting herself! (who says chickens don't have a memory!) We even tried giving her a clutch of fertilized eggs to hatch- but for some reason none did. I thought that one solution could be to get another chicken, that way at least Margo is not alone- but can anyone recommend a docile breed that will NOT be inclined to go broody!? My husband is so fed up that he wants to get rid of the chickens altogether which would make me very sad indeed....

Anyone got any advice at all or need a broody hen? Help we're desperate!

 

My Magpie did the very same!

 

We bought her some fertilized eggs and she wanted nothing to do with actually sitting on eggs (we'd left eggs in the nest to encourage her before placing the fertile ones...and she just didn't sit on them!!

 

We're in the same boat, so are planning to buy two more chooks to introduce in the spring, just in case she does the same next year.

 

With regards to the broody cage....use something with a fine mesh, I said in my previous post that I used a dismantled rabbit run to make the walls, roof and floor...it allowed the air up under her but was supportive and she couldn't hurt herself (though she freaked enough!!) Try draping a cloth over the crate...so she sees a solid boundry. Failing that, reduce the space she has initially so she can't throw herself around. When she calms down, give her more space...and most importantly, leave her alone! My hens can be real madams when they know I'm near by and will rake their beaks across the WIR mesh and pace up and down as if they're really distressed. They just want attention or treats because as soon as they can't see me, they carry on their normal behaviour....it may be your hen knows that you'll let her go if she causes enough noise!! With the finer mesh, she won't be able to catch her beak or toes so will be unlikely to get caught up!!

 

I'll PM you regarding a suggestion of another hen...!!

 

x

[Cambridge chiks]

Thank you so much for all your advice! Just dug out the cage ready for de-brooding tomorrow! Will let you know if we have success!