Chicken boarders

[johnandkymberley]

Hi all, well as the title says Violet has a bare tummy? Basically she has been in the cube for a couple of hours in the nesting box, we thought she was laying an egg, anyway went out to check on her and when we put our hand in she fluffed out, she is only about 6 months old (she has grown loads though) but she was laying so flat to the bottom she has filled half the nesting box She also made the weirdest noise, open mouth squeeking and high pitched clucks? So we managed to calm her and get her out thinking she had an egg stuck..H2b lifted her up and i felt her, nothing there, moved my hand up and found her tummy bare, looks like a chicken you buy from asda, we have taken a photo but i am typing this as dinner is on the table so my hunger hasnt got time to wait!!! this has quite upset me really, i am in shock

[fluffy chick]

I think she is broody, if so she is fine. Do you have a dog cage or similar? It is best to snap her out of it if you can. I've just released one pekin from the sin bin How long has she been in the nest box now?

[johnandkymberley]

Thanks fluffy chick, well to add some more info, she never chooses to sleep in the cube, she is usually outside on the branch or mezzaine level with her 2 bestest sisters. She has been in 4 hours - nearly 5. We did test if she was broody by putting a marble egg in but she didnt do anything? she is technically only a baby though isnt she? is this also the explaination for the feathers missing? me and h2b were very shocked, it is upsetting

[Olly]

Definitely sounds broody, and yes, that would account for the bare tummy. Take a look at the FAQs here.

[fluffy chick]

I have one pekin who is on off broody for most of the spring/summer period. She is bald underneath for all of this period. They pull the feathers out themselves so they can make better contact with the eggs

[johnandkymberley]

Just one quick question, im thinking of trying to lock her out of the cube, when we get up all girls have laid so would it be a good idea to close the clube door so she cant get in? will she be more tempted to eat and drink if i do that? xxx

[surfer_chicken]

My hen became broody at 5 months and we now have some lovely chicks in the garden, so don't be too worried about her young age!

 

As to locking her out of the cube, she may just find a comfy place on the floor to brood on instead, which is what Mildred did Your best bet is probably a broody cage with the food and drink next to her. Good luck!

[johnandkymberley]

Thanks for your reply,

Can you give me some more info on what i could do.... would adore chicks but really need some advice! xx

[Olly]

If you read the FAQ link above, it explains how to use a 'broody cage' to snap them out of being broody. It's by far the best thing to do, as a broody hen can lose condition very easily.

 

I would think very carefully about hatching - the broody and her chicks will need separate accommodation fir some weeks, and then there's the problem of what to do with any male chicks.

[johnandkymberley]

Okay, i am NOT having any chicks, final decsion has been made! Okay so now what do i do with Violet? also today i have noticed Daisy acting the same and she has feathers missing on her tummy I dont know what a broody cage is or other methods of dealing with this! Its one thing after another with hens..... I just dont know enough

[loumabel]

It does feel like it one thing after another sometimes doesn't it?? I can never quite bring myself to put mine in a broody cage but I am sure it does work. I keep turfing them out of the cube and plonk them near the food and water as they can neglect themselves when they go broody. Make sure you remove eggs quickly and I have also shut them all out of the cube during the day and this tends to snap them out of it, although having said that My little pekin has been broody since April and stubbornly remains that way!! It does tend to be contagious, when one goes broody the others all join in. We have done the quick dunking in cold water when it was really hot earlier in the year and this worked like a dream, they were far to concerned with preening themselves and forgot to be broody, although I probably wouldnt recommend that at the moment judging by the weather we are having. Good luck x

[Olly]

I've merged this post with your earlier one, Johnandkymberley, as it's on the same topic. If you read the FAQ link that I put in above, it will explain what a broody cage is.

[johnandkymberley]

I dont have a dog cage, only a cat carrier, when do i put a hen in a broody cage? they have been locked out the cube today, had a bright idea earlier but to cut a long story short, Chryssie ended up laying an egg outside. talking about eggs, daisy laid one today so might not be as broody as Violet? xx

[scarlettohara]

We did test if she was broody by putting a marble egg in but she didnt do anything?

 

Did you think it would hatch

[Christian]

I dont have a dog cage, only a cat carrier, when do i put a hen in a broody cage?

When she is broody.

 

The trouble with locking them all out of the cube is that those that are laying will need somewhere to lay.

 

Any box that has ventilation will do as a broody coop. As long as air can flow underneath the hen to cool her down.

[johnandkymberley]

hhmmm, my cat carrier has a plastic bottom? does that count? prob not? i dont leave her in there all day and night do i? she is always at the cube door or in the nesting box so it seems like she is broody alot, i never had this happen, her behaviour has totally thrown me, we thought lily was a bit broody as she was sitting in there alot but when we moved her she totted back out but Violet is a whole new kettle of fish!

[johnandkymberley]

Scarlett - - i was as she didnt do anything with the egg! i get carried away typing...forget what ive put...start rambling and not making sense...

[Christian]

Have another read through the info in Dogmother's article on her blog in the sticky Olly mentioned. All the info is there.

[Redwing]

the cat carrier wont work, its a broody heaven and will just allow the hen to sit in peace

 

The FAQ mentioned by Olly will help answer your questions

[Plum]

I think Mostin uses a cat carrier but hangs it from a tree so they feel insecure

[laurmurf]

mostin's got one in the broody-breaker at the moment.

 

It's metal mesh dog crate - open all round - hanging from a tree. The chooks are completely safe but they sure think twice about wanting to sit on any eggs up there!

[scarlettohara]

I've just bought a new all wire cat carrier (it's standing on 2 bricks) as had 3 broodies - it works a treat and was £30. My silkie Fudge only needed 3 days and 2 nights Squeak my Pilkie has gone in this am

[johnandkymberley]

Well, bit of an update neither Violet or Daisy havent glimpsed at the nesting box today, they were shut in last night, hate to do it because i get shouts all night! But as i was spraying down poo etc i thought it best, so this morning i was quite worried, they had been in there all night so thought they would be in there sitting, but i put in 2 football, a small one and a large ones, hens could get in to lay an egg but not to lounge about! found 2 eggs and Lilys was under the big football? dont know hwat she had done there but obviously made it uncomfy, so far so good i suppose!!

[scarlettohara]

Here is Squeak in the sin bin

 

[Snowy]

Well, bit of an update neither Violet or Daisy havent glimpsed at the nesting box today, they were shut in last night, hate to do it because i get shouts all night! But as i was spraying down poo etc i thought it best, so this morning i was quite worried, they had been in there all night so thought they would be in there sitting, but i put in 2 football, a small one and a large ones, hens could get in to lay an egg but not to lounge about! found 2 eggs and Lilys was under the big football? dont know hwat she had done there but obviously made it uncomfy, so far so good i suppose!!

 

Well done! You do sometimes have to use a bit of initiative - often just keeping them out of the nest box is enough to break the broodiness. More determined ones will need the sin bin approach though. Touch wood, so far I've never needed to go that far with mine.