Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[CJB]

Well I am certainly being tested by someone, after coming on here again earlier for advice I have discovered one of the chickens was broody.

So I took the advice of everyone, to get her off the eggs, or more chickens may appear (please god not yet!!)

Looking like a raving lunatic . I went quitely into the hen house, fully armed. Big gloves, wellies and a shovel. This particular chicken has a very evil glint in her eye

 

Now before anyone goes straight for the phone dialling RSPCA, I had had an idea. Please do bare in mind I am a townie gone country!

Believe it or not, before this move I had a fear of birds. HATE flapping!!

So the shovel was my plan; shovel her out gently without having to get too close and certainly not having to touch the wings!

I do not know who was more scared, her or me.

Anyway, she legged it without the need for shovel.

Pecking and flapping as she went. Flapping was done for revenge I am sure!

Sure enough after that episode she had been sitting on four eggs.

 

As if that weren't enough excitement for one day, the cockerel started getting "friendly!*?" with my neighbours duck. Surely this has got to be some sort of joke. Where are the hidden cameras??

Do cockerels do this to anything?

Should I hide my small dog??

[chocchick]

Most people here just hens. Our RIR is loud enough without a cockeral as well.

I've heard drakes should never be kept with chickens as particularly nasty, but not heard about the other way round. Lesley has definately had cockerals, maybe some of the chick-growing people (feemc?)

We had a broody knightmare last year with a clucking fluffed pom pom ball chicken who was luckily extra docile, and resisted most of our efforts. We used a broody cage eventually, you can probably find some posts if you do a search, and there's a broody sticky somewhere.

[landgirl]

As if that weren't enough excitement for one day, the cockerel started getting "friendly!*?" with my neighbours duck.

 

are you hoping for Chucks or Dickens?

[CJB]

I think Dickens sounds more cultured!

[chelsea]

As if that weren't enough excitement for one day, the cockerel started getting "friendly!*?" with my neighbours duck.

 

are you hoping for Chucks or Dickens?

 

hee hee very good !!

[theherd123]

Should I hide my small dog??

 

This might be a good plan by the sounds of your cock

[Looney]

Should I hide my small dog??

 

This might be a good plan by the sounds of your cock

 

[Egluntyne]

Never a dull moment on this forum!

[Olly]

hmm, getting back on topic (she says quickly) ... I have been scared of birds for years, BUT I really, really wanted chickens. Don't ask me how that one works!

 

When I say scared, I mean hyperventilating screaming phobic - wouldn't go into a room with a caged bird, and when the cat brought a live one in I had to run next-door for help (and then knock on every door up the road, because my lovely neighbours weren't in!)

 

I did take some steps to overcome this before the chickens arrived, because I was afraid that I would freak out the first time I had to touch one, but I can definitely say that having chickens has cured me. I'm still not very confident about picking them up, but I'm not scared any more. I know exactly what you mean about the flapping, and I still hate that - the trick is to grasp them firmly and clamp them against the side of your body, so NO flapping can occur.

 

I think you are doing fantastically well for someone who didn't even want chickens in the first place - a lot of people would have just called the RSPCA and asked them to remove them. Well done!

[AnnieP]

Good grief Cath! You really are on a steep learning curve aren't you??

 

Obviously as you have a cockerel, you need to remove the eggs from under the broody... unless you want more cockerels!

You can either let her sit it out (up to 5 weeks, but she'll need access to food and water nearby), or you can try kicking her off the nest and stopping her from going back. She will need to cool down (literally), so ice packs in the nest, or swinging her around , dunking her in cold water or a broody cage where the air can circulate under her are the most common cures, although some broodies will resist all of the above and just sit it out.

 

Good luck!

[chocchick]

Good grief Cath! You really are on a steep learning curve aren't you??

 

Obviously as you have a cockerel, you need to remove the eggs from under the broody... unless you want more cockerels!

You can either let her sit it out (up to 5 weeks, but she'll need access to food and water nearby), or you can try kicking her off the nest and stopping her from going back. She will need to cool down (literally), so ice packs in the nest, or swinging her around , dunking her in cold water or a broody cage where the air can circulate under her are the most common cures, although some broodies will resist all of the above and just sit it out.

 

Good luck!

My broody resisted sitting it out, kicking off the nest (not literally), and cold water