ashjc Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 OK my hen, Hetty has gone broody, this is the first time since I got them. Read the advice on the FAQ section which was great so I knew what was happening when it started to happen. But I have a few more questions please I am told they are broody for about 3 weeks - Is this correct? She has stopped laying - Is this normal? Will she just go back to normal in 3 weeks time? How often will this happen? eg is it twice a year, once a month? The good news is shes letting me pick her up... thats a first!... so I am giving her health checks and dusting her with powder whilst I have the chance! I am keeping the nesting box cordened off at night so they both have to roost on the bars.. I am then forcing her out for food first thing and removing the barrier to the nesting box so Daisy can go and lay her egg... as we work I get home about five and lift her out of the nesting box to remove Daisy's egg and then shutting the cube door so she has to roam about and get some more food and drink.... I then corden off the nesting box and let her go in the cube to roost on the bars, albeit well before dusk.... is this OK? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I have a hen who is broody right now too. This is actually the 2nd time in the last couple of months she's gone broody, so I guess it can happen more than once a year. One of our other hens was also broody a couple of months ago and has been fine since, but the one who is broody now is being quite a problem. Neither of ours laid at all while they were broody, but did lay again a week or so afterwards. The one who is being broody right now I just keep hoofing her out of the nest to make sure she eats and drinks, but she tends to do that and then go straight back into the Cube. As all our other girls lay at varying times throughout the day I can't lock them out of the Cube during the daytime. Not looking forward to a whole 3wks of this though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Yes I think I have another 10 days of this. She seems fine but just sits all day!... I guess its natural for them but shes usually so active I feel sorry for her. I wonder how many times a year they go like this. It might be worth considering another chicken to help with egg volumes it if happens frequently. We have a cube and 3 metre run so could go for a 3rd chicken in terms of space. They were both giving us 1 egg a day so kept us in eggs but now our supplies are dwindling... my wife is on egg rations as she likes two on toast in the mornings! If it happens just a couple of times a year each we could probably see it through but if its every other month then I think we will need an addition. Anyone have any ideas on how many times they go broody a year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 It's best to break their broodiness really, as they can lose condition by not eating & drinking enough. They can also be a target for lice etc due to their inactivity. There's some info here. I've had success with a broody cage - feels cruel but it's in their best interests . As to how often it happens, I've only ever had one hen (out of 8 ) that's been broody and that was only twice in over 3 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 yep, I agree - it's best to break them out of it. They have a miserable time when broody for no purpose (ie not hatching...). 3 or 4 days and nights and they're fine again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 It's best to break their broodiness really, as they can lose condition by not eating & drinking enough. They can also be a target for lice etc due to their inactivity. There's some info here. I've had success with a broody cage - feels cruel but it's in their best interests . As to how often it happens, I've only ever had one hen (out of 8 ) that's been broody and that was only twice in over 3 years. I can't seem to find the info about the broody cage on there. Would a dog crate or something like that do? I have just hoofed my Welsummer out for about the 4th time today and have now closed the door to the Cube, but not only does that mean the others can't go in to lay, she has a tendency to burrow into the rapport on the floor of the run, which having read that article is also not good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennym Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Would a dog crate or something like that do? I think that's exactly what people use. The main point, I think, is that it needs to allow cool air to flow under the hen - so no solid ground or warm comfortable nest. That's what breaks her out of the broodiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 There was a link in that info to broody cages but it no longer worked so I removed it. Yes, you can use a dog crate. Put it up on bricks so the air flows round her nether regions, put food and water in it (watch she can't stand in the containers and knock them over) and leave her in it for 3-4 days & nights. If you can fit the crate inside the Omlet run, do so. If not, you can put it in a garage/shed/kitchen for safety overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 OK I have been to pets at home and purchased a medium sized dog crate and some containers that hook on the side of the cage. I have also been to B&Q and bought some mesh to sit on the bottom. 4 bricks and I should be ready to go! As I have a 3M run for my cube it should fit inside the cube run and I have covers on it so she cant get rained on. I will put her in it tomorrow when I can catch her after shes sat back in the nesting box. I have put her in the garden at the moment to get food and drink and shut the cube door. Lets hope this works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Sounds good . Don't be guilt-tripped into letting her out early . She'll be fine for a couple of days and you can let her out and see if she heads for the nestbox. If so, it's back to the cage for another day! I'd put the containers fairly high up so she can't hop up onto them and knock them down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I got one of these: http://www.ukdogcrate.co.uk/ I put it on its side to I can access the poor broody hen via a lockable flap, and what would be the base therefore becomes the back. It folds flat too... Don't forget to get one that's as big as possible so your girl can walk around if she wants to, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 That's pretty similar to mine. I put mine upsidedown so the floor becomes the roof to shelter her from rain (or poops from her friends standing top of it .) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I need to go get one soon too. For now I have put my broody in with my ex batts as only one of them is laying, so I should be able to close the door to the Eglu and stop her getting in during the daytime. Right now she doesn't seem too happy being with them, but they are all used to each other as they all lived together until I had to separate them due to one of the ex batts being a feather plucker. I am hoping as the broody is a Welsummer and is therefore a fair bit taller, longer and heavier than the ex batts that none of them will give her any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 OK the dog crate is up. The bowls are clipped on. I let her in the eglu and she went straight in the nesting box so I was able to lift her out and put her in the crate. Shes now on four house bricks and a mesh bottom. She doesnt look happy. I think I am going to have to close the blinds as I might give in and let her out too soon. So how long do you think?.... tomorrow and Wednesday?... let her out Thursday morning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Usually 3 days and 3 nights. Mind you, mine usually needs 4... When she stops clucking and skwawking, try leaving the WIR door open (if you have one), same for the Eglu. If she's no longer interested in the nest and it's not dark then she's probably not broody any more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Well our broody slept in the Eglu last night after pacing around and bocking for what seemed half the evening. She was out in the WIR at 5am and woke us up with her bocking again and is just pacing back and forth in front of the wire that is separating the 2 lots of hens. At the moment it seems moving her has taken her mind off being broody, but I will still close the Eglu door once my ex batt has laid this morning. The joys of hens sigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Shes on her second day in prisoner broody block H..... I feel so guilty but shes eating and drinking fine. She is sitting down quite a bit but I am assuming when you are confined like that on mesh you will want to sit down when you can? Shes up on house bricks so I am assuming the fact she is sitting down is not an issue? Someone please assure me this isnt cruel please, it was quite a wintery night last night and Daisy was tucked up in the cube and poor Hetty was in her prison cell in the run (which is covered) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 She'll be absolutely fine, don't worry . I know it seems cruel but letting her sit on non-existent eggs indefinitely is not a good idea. As long as there is air circulating underneath her and cooling her down, the sitting down shouldn't be a problem. Remember their body temperature is higher than ours anyway, so what feels cold to us won't be so bad for them. Stick with it - it's worth it in the end . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 We put our broody Welsummer back in with her friends today after 2 days with the ex batts. Not sure if we've done it a bit too soon but she seems fine at the moment, fingers crossed, touch wood etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks76 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I think one of mine is broody - I've been lifting it off the nest since the 1st July. Hopefully it will cease any day now. This morning was a first - I took her off the nest and popped on the ground. She laid down and started picking up twigs and throwing them over her back! Presume this is some sort of broody nest building attempt??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Well about an hour after putting our broody back in with her friends she went back into the nest. Took her out and have put her back in with the ex batts. She was so not happy going back in with them, but it has once again stopped her broodiness. Guess we didn't leave her in with the ex batts long enough. Today is day 3 of being in with the ex batts, not counting the couple of hours she was back with her friends. Really not sure how long we should leave her in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jill the potter Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 A cat crate worked for me - now known as 'the sin bin' Put Barbara in there but removed her from the run to a covered area on the patio as the others seemed too interested in pecking at her. At night I waited till the others had gone to bed and put her in the run covered with a towel as she seemed too agitated at seeing the eglu and not being able to get to it. In the morning she was removed again. After 48 hours we tried her back with the others and 'hey presto!!!'' it seemed to work. That was over a month ago. She had stopped laying but started again after about 2 weeks. p.s. the cat crate is not a modern plastic one but a really open mesh one which we placed on 4 bricks and used cable ties to tie the food and water bowls to the side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Well Hetty has had 3 full days and nights in the dog crate... its been torture for us but fine for her. Shes been eating and drinking fine. Let her out of it at 5pm this evening and shes roaming round the garden with Daisy and shown no signs of wanting to go into the cube or bed down. I think its worked!... will see if she comes out in the morning when we get up and if she does we will go to work and leave her in the run as normal and see if she is still out when we get home from work. Thanks for the advice everyone.... 3 days of prison will have been worth it if she now moves on and doesnt brood. Will let you know tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Jolly good . Fingers crossed . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Well Hetty has had 3 full days and nights in the dog crate... its been torture for us but fine for her. Shes been eating and drinking fine. Let her out of it at 5pm this evening and shes roaming round the garden with Daisy and shown no signs of wanting to go into the cube or bed down. I think its worked!... will see if she comes out in the morning when we get up and if she does we will go to work and leave her in the run as normal and see if she is still out when we get home from work. Thanks for the advice everyone.... 3 days of prison will have been worth it if she now moves on and doesnt brood. Will let you know tomorrow Hope it's all going well today with Hetty, do let us know. My broody is still with the ex batts, apart from a couple of hours back with her friends, she's been in with the ex batts since Monday evening. She shows no signs of being broody, only goes into the Eglu at night and comes out straight away in the morning as she isn't too impressed with her current accommodation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
