Omlet cube and run

[bouldercroft]

it's only been three weeks since her last broody spell but the lovely Rita is a raging hormonal mess again!

it started a few days with a few of her tantrums (she flaps her wings and squawks for no apparent reason) but she was still laying but then yesterday she pancaked herself into the nest box.

 

Time to break out the IKEA prison cell again....

 

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=78946

Edited July 11, 2011 by Guest

[bouldercroft]

It's hot! Really really really really hot. Tomorrow the forecast is for 36.C

Is the broody pen a waste of time and possibly dangerous in the walk-in-run

Should I put her in the broody pen in the basement where it's much cooler?

 

Thanks..

[Plum]

Have you got a shade on the walk in run, they need some deep shade anyway. How are the others coping when not broody? I can't remember what your broody cage is like but usually they are wire all round so shouldn't be any hotter than the air in the run and have the same flow of air If in doubt I'd move her and keep her safe.

 

I sympathise with the broodiness one of my wyandottes has been broody 3 times I feel mean, she wants to be a mummy.

[cavysqueak]

I'm not sure if I've ever had a 'fully' broody chicken, as she's always sat on the nest for half of the day & then gone outside as normal. That being said I've always treated her like my mother treated her little Zebra Finches - just in case they are egg bound you start by giving them more heat.

 

So I sit her on a hot water bottle (while cuddling her - also a fabulous excuse for a warm cuddle!) & she sometimes stays for 15 minutes, the longest was 30 minutes. You may need to take the hot water bottle away when she shows signs of getting too hot (open beak, wings up, etc), but don't put her down - let her decide when to leave. I've always found that this has snapped her out after two 'sessions' max & I work so I've only been able to do this once a day.

 

I have no idea if this only works for my chicken, as this is against all of the advice I've ever heard! Good luck with getting her back to normal.

[bouldercroft]

my broody cage is an amazing ikea bench conversion

 

my WIR has lots of shade but the sun moves around and yesterday when I got home she was sitting in a chink of sunlight and I felt bad

 

I'll pop her in the basement as it's much cooler