jasperaliceuk Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 We have Gwen and Mimi just 3 months now - bought in at point of lay. Gwen is showing every sign of being broody - wouldn't come off nest last couple of days, plucked feathers out in the nest, lots of laying down, clucking and contrary to her wussy nature - actually took a run at the dog and cat! So, for the day I have shut the Eglu - they have had either the run, the netting run or free ranged. Last night we forgot to open up the Eglu before they went to bed, went out to shut it at normal bedtime and they were both tucked up very sleepy outside - took a bit of persuasion to get them in - but I'd read of the torch trick on here and sure enough they went towards the light. Gwen didn't lay this morning so I turfed her out, shut the Eglu. This afternoon they have been free ranging with me in the garden but she has not been wanting to follow Mimi, doing her usual scratching and helping me weed. Instead she has been patrolling the netting, the run and the Eglu and even took a flying leap at the Eglu trying to get in. I let her back in the run and she just squatted down in front of the doors and I was surprised a few minutes ago to find she had laid an egg. She really wanted to sit on it so I had to remove all the bars and tray, manoeuvre the egg to me with a rake and hoick it out with me half way through the Eglu house. Not a pretty sight. Everything is shut up again and I have put a clay plant pot on the nest. Gwen seems to forget about any broodiness for a while and then suddenly remembers again! She is eating and drinking, occasionally having a peck around, taking treats but then decides - oh no I need to go hunker down again and try to get in the Eglu house. Did she perhaps just want to lay her egg in the nest? She seems confused, I certainly am. Broody or not? Right now she is pecking about in the run. Should I leave the pot in the house over night to stop her getting in - is this going to upset the other one? All advice (and I'm sure it has probably all been covered umpteen times) gratefully received. It just doesn't seem very cut and dried right now! Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 Feeling bad because she seems quite chirpy right now, dust bathing, pecking around. Took a look at her egg which looked normal but on close examination the shell is not perfect - it looks as though it has got scratch lines in it and as though dirt specks are all welded into the shell. I would not have realised that if she was desperate to lay an egg it would have to be in the nest! Perhaps that is why she was so desperate to get in. I feel mean now. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Don't feel bad she was acting broody and hormonal. She'll probably forgive you sometime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 After shutting them both out of the house all day and blocking the nest box with a plant pot Gwen seems to have snapped out of it. It seemed a very half hearted attempt at being broody as as long as she had no reminder, eg let out in the netting run and unable to sit on the nest - she just forgot about it. She hasn't laid though. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 Well, after 5 days of being out of the broody behaviour I found Gwen going into the nest box this afternoon. Thought I'd give her the benefit of the doubt in case she wanted to start laying again and, sure enough, she laid an egg. However, she now seems to be back to broodiness. She has started throwing bits of leaves, twigs, grass etc over her back, and now I have shut the Eglu house is mithering to get back in again. This chook does not seem very cut and dried! Perhaps she's a frustrated wannabe mum. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Egg has been the same recently. This is her third 'broody' time, and it has lasted longer than normal. She has just about snapped out of it, after being hoiked out of the Cube on several occasions. I've been recommended to put her in a broody cage if it happens again - something like a rabbit hutch works OK. There should be nothing in there that lets her get comfortable, and she should have access to food and water (those little dishes that attach to the bars do the trick). She needs to stay in there until she is no longer broody which could be 24 hours ... or longer. No free ranging, nothing. We always know when she is broody because of the noises she makes which aren't like normal clucking, and she also makes funny noises when she eats. Sounds horrible, but apparently it's the best thing for them to help them to stop. Thankfully broodiness is seasonal so I am hoping that this is her last time this year ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimmyCustard Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Dotty went broody about 3 days before we were due to go on hols . She was also refusing to get off the nest, growling when we turfed her out of the Cube and was pecking and rushing at the other girls, pulling their feathers out. We dunked her in cold water twice (to no effect) then I put a beak bit on her so the others wouldnt be at her mercy. We had a small dog crate on order so we could seperate her and break the broodiness. For some reason, the beak bit did the trick straight away! It must have shocked her out of broodiness almost instantly, we did regular checks and she wasnt sitting in the nest box, she stopped growling and couldnt grab feathers - job done! We didnt use the Omlet ones, they looked too technical for me , we got 10 for £1.50 from the Domestic Fowl Trust. She started laying again about 4 days later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
