Kylie1007 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Hello! I haven't posted for a long time because my girls are generally as good as gold and don't cause me any problems but I have TWO broody chickens - my silkie is on her 3rd session this year and my buff orpington is on a marathon session which has lasted about 5 weeks now and shows no signs of letting up! So I was thinking about a broody coop rather than a dunking! Can anyone give me info on them - will any old wire crate (like a dog crate) do? Do I leave them outside in it? My poor Henrietta thinks that her sisters have abandoned her Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 A dog crate will be ideal. Leave her in it round the clock for at least 3 days. There is an article in the FAQ section about this. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hazel Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Hi We didn't understand what had got into Carmen, our Araucana, but then tonight we suddenly realised she was broody. She has pecked off a lot of her own breast feathers and is really moody! She was bok-bok-bokking very deep and growly too. We've got an Ikea shoe rack and have built a pen around it with sections of Cube run. She has a glug and grub in there. I've read on here that we should leave her in for 72 hours. How do you know if they have snapped out of it? She's a wily bird and may try to fool us. We're going on holiday on Friday night and wouldn't like to leave the neighbours a broody hen to deal with! Hazel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 my Lavender lasted 2 days and then escaped - no longer broody, but not laying either. now Fairy is in there, having done the pancake thing yesterday and today... so I will aim to let her out mid-afternoon Thurs if she hasnt crashed her way out before... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hazel Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 This is our first broody - but not our last I think! I'm going to try to be strong! Hazel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie1007 Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 The silkie only stays broody for a couple of weeks but my Esmerelda, the buff orp, has been broody for WEEKS now and I'm getting really fed up with her so desperate measures are needed!!! Have put a bid in on a large dog cage on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hazel Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Good luck. I've read that some people try dunking .... I'm tempted to try that but I wouldn't want to be cruel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie1007 Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Good luck. I've read that some people try dunking .... I'm tempted to try that but I wouldn't want to be cruel! i know! Or sitting them on an ice pack covered with a towel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I use a small dog crate put on top of three bricks so the air circulates around their body. She has access to water and food but nothing else - no comforts and no treats. She is left in their day and night for three nights, in the main cube run which has tarpaulin over the top and a shade on the side so that she is not in full sunlight. This seems cruel but it does work; I hated it the first time I had to do it and it was the longest three nights I know Believe me after this they can't wait to get out and my chooks are never been broody when they come out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hazel Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I just got home from work and let all the chooks out except poor Carmen who is locked in her cage. She didn't seem to believe it when the run just emptied and all the others ran off. I felt terrible. I had sprinkled a few spinach leaves in her cage this morning when I gave the others some but most are still there tonight. I can't tell if she's eaten anything today. Tonight will be her second night in the cage and so outside the coop. Last night was very windy and rainy here and I kept waking up and feeling so guilty! I imagined her getting wet and cold - but she was warm and dry this morning and was screaming her head off - I guess she is pretty angry at me. We'll let her out on Thursday but go on holiday on Friday evening. All I can do is warn the neighbour that she may have to deal with a broody! Is there a season for broodiness? Lots of people on here seem to be mentioning chooks getting broody right now! Hazel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie1007 Posted June 21, 2011 Author Share Posted June 21, 2011 Summer months def seem to cause broodiness! Esmerelda and Rosie were both out today so hopefully they're on their way out now! I wonder whether chickens sync together in broodiness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hazel Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Good luck for Esmerelda and Rosie! Hazel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi-Hi Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 My dog cage came today. Both Bella and Chocolate (silkies) are in. They have settled for the night now. They don't actually seem that uncomfortable. It is up on bricks, so the air is flowing around them. If they are settled on the wire floor, does that mean it is not going to work? I sort of got the idea that they were suppose to not be able to settle down... Am I doing it wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Mine always settle on the wire floor in the cage when it is up on bricks and it has always worked for me, so they should be all right as they still have the air flowing round them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hazel Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Touch wood - the broody box worked. We released poor Carmen this morning, 3 nights and not quite 3 days after she was locked up. We let all the girls out for a free range together and I've never seen a chicken move so fast to get out in the garden. I put out some mash porridge which is one of their favourites and Carmen has now been out for quite a few hours, mooching about, finding slugs, generally behaving in a non-broody way. Phew - I think she may have snapped out of it! Thanks to everyone's advice on here. Hazel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
