Benaberry Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Sorry, not been around for a while, but back in need of help Realistically, how much space does a broody girl need whilst she's sitting? (I've got a feeling it's a bit "How long is a piece of string" One of our girls, Annie the Barnevelder, has definitely gone broody. Found her happily pancaked out in the nest box yesterday, practically purring and "ticking" when stroked. I have no idea at the moment how many are under her, but given she's in the more popular nestbox of the two, and judging by the number of eggs I collected yesterday, I reckon probably 4-6. Since we discovered one of our other girls, Madeleine is actually a boy (now christened Jack, and a beautiful, and remarkably quiet boy he is too!), who has been doing the deed on frequent occasions with his orpy girls, there's a good chance some of what's under Annie will be fertile. Husband wants to give her a chance, to see if she can hatch anything, but at the moment, she's still in the main house. Already have a plan in place for girls and boys, as have been toying with the idea of getting an incubator for a while anyway. Obviously she needs moving, and fast, to some separate accommodation, but I'm not really sure what to do with her. We've got a fairly large indoor rabbit cage or a labrador-sized dog crate that could go in the end of the walk in run to separate her whilst keeping her fox proof and sheltered, would either of those be any good? I could put a pet carrier into either for an actual nest and some of the left over roofing from the WIR over the top as protection against "splatter" should one of the others decide to perch on top. Or do we really need to be going out and buying her a rabbit hutch or ark? (annoyingly, our old one is broken, and the new one is still occupied ) If one of the interim measures above would be suitable, that gives us a couple of weeks to put a slightly more robust plan in place for separating the littlies should we be lucky enough to get any Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 While sitting she'll only need the space she takes up while sitting, she won't be fidgeting or getting up for a mooch around. She'll need access to an area to stretch her legs and do the legendary broody poo, but she'll only use it for a few minutes each day. When the chicks arrive she'll obviously make more use of the outside space. My broody silkie is left in the coop until the eggs hatch .I shut the pop hole to keep the other hens out and physically turf her out for a few minutes each day as she won't go out on her own, even if the door is open. When the chicks hatch I'll leave them shut in the coop for a day or two ( it's 2.5'x4' so plenty big enough for a day or so), then they'll all be moved to a sectioned off part of the WIR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benaberry Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 thanks meezers, you've confirmed what I'd hoped, that for the time being space to "pancake" plus a bit of room for food, water and somewhere to do the hideous "broody poo" will be enough - looks like the dog crate might just do it with one of the cat carriers for shelter (these are plenty big enough for her - must have massive cats - had an orpington in one indoors being nursed over the winter with no space issues!). This gives us a couple of weeks, all being well, for us to then sort out someting a bit more suitable for her and any chicks we're lucky enough to hatch. the house we've got is pretty big, so sounds like an alternative could be then to just leave her where she is, is that what you're saying? then just move her once the babies hatch out? I'd assumed the others would disturb her and put her off... She's still sitting tight at the moment, went up a short while ago to check on them and the only change is that she seems to possibly have spread out even more, otherwise no sign of her giving up yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 I always separate my broodies so they sit in peace on the designated number of eggs - you don't want her wing snaffling some new ones I think your plan sounds fine so long as she is safe and dry whilst sitting. You could always candle the eggs when you transfer her to her new surroundings - to prevent her sitting on dud eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benaberry Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 I was thinking she might try to snaffle more - there was a suspicious lack in the other nest box this morning... She'll definitely be safe and dry: will leave dog crate in Chicken Alcatraz (AKA the super-secure WIR), which is roofed over and sheltered anyway, and rig up an additional roof for the crate (plus the cat carrier inside it). Now just need to get hubby to excavate the dog crate from the cellar and set it up in the run for her, then move her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Our broody Orpington is in a Labrador sized dog kennel within the run which has been divided off. She only uses the cardboard box which I put in for her to nest in. She's very content and I hoof her out in the mornings to eat, drink and stretch. She's back in within 5 mins. Hope your move goes well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 the house we've got is pretty big, so sounds like an alternative could be then to just leave her where she is, is that what you're saying? then just move her once the babies hatch out? I'd assumed the others would disturb her and put her off... Sorry, should have said i leave my silkie in the coop, but shut the pop hole so the others can't get in - or she would snaffle as many eggs as she could I'm lucky to have 2 coops , so when Muppet is using one as a 'maternity ward' the others will (grudgingly) lay and roost in the 2nd coop. I've used a dog crate as a coop before now, I found a cardboard box big enough to cover it ( to make it cosy and draft free) and had 3 growers happily sleeping in there until they were big enough to intergrate with the rest of the flock. Depending on how many eggs hatch this time, I may use a cat carrier as sleeping quarters for Muppet and chicks when I move them into the sectioned off part of the run.They'd progress onto the dog crate as they got bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Dont let her snaffle any more eggs while she is sitting as the eggs under her will then hatch at different times meaning that she will either neglect hatched chicks in favour of sitting or she will favour the chicks and leave the last eggs to cool and die Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benaberry Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 thank you all for the advice. She's still sitting tight up there - fairly confident no egg-snaffling going on, collected a normal number from the other nest box this morning so all seems well. Hubby in charge of arranging alternative accommodation for her tonight (didn't get back from work until 10pm last night, and in my current pregnant state, I can't get at, let alone move, the dog crate ) Still a bit surprised that this is the third spring of chicken keeping and my first broody I've had to deal with, not to mention that it's Annie who's gone, expected it to be one of the Orpingtons! Fingers crossed the move goes well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benaberry Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 Sadly, after setting up the dog crate and cat box for her, the attempted move at bedtime hasn't gone well. Annie came out of the cat box and had a drink and some food, but she's now gone to roost on top of the cat box rather than inside with her eggs. As it's been nearly an hour now, I'm guessing they'll have gone cold, so suppose it's a no go. There were three under her in the end, two orpie eggs and one from Cordelia the legbar On the bright side I suppose at least she was remarkably easy to break of the broodiness... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Oh that's a pity. We also moved ours from the nesting box at night but I left her locked in that night and all of the following day - with food and water. The next day I let her out and had to put her in again and close the door but the next day she was fine - out for 10 mins and back, and has continued that way since. I guess it's too late now to put her back on the eggs? Isabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
