pixiewish Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 I have my first-ever broody and am not sure if I am handling it correctly. I turf her out the nest box each morning and usually shut the coop door for a couole of hours to make sure she eats and drinks. But as soon as I open it she is back in like a shot. Luckily I am iff work at the moment so am able to turf her out at least a few times a day, but I'm not sure if there is anything else I'm supposed to be doing to break her broodiness, its been about a week now and she shows no signs of giving up. I only have one layer at the moment so I try to get that egg away asap so she is sitting on nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hey. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems a bit early for broodiness. I assume she has started laying this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiewish Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 Yes, she started laying just after xmas, last one of the 3 to start and she is most definitely broody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 You need to put her in a broody cage for 3 days and 3 nights, preferably within the sight of the other chickens. We use our dog cage, up on bricks, so they have air all around to cool them down, inside our run. Obviously you need to give her the food and water in there too - those galley cups are useful for that. 3 days and nights should do the trick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayleybug Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I've got the same problem, and have for the last 2 days put her in a dog cage raised on bricks to let air circulater as luvachicken suggests. I havent left her in it overnight though as its so cold. I have insteqd let her go back in the eglu with the others and put a football in the nest so she can't get back in. I'm hoping this works soon as I want to worm them soon & I'm not sure she will eat enough medicated pellets until she snaps out of it. Maybe try this way? I got my cage off ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charly1979 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Took my Prilly 10 days to break her but definately had to sepearate her from the other girls I was able to split the run, then each night I put her back with her girls nearer the end she was putting herself to bed showing how gormless she was as clearly she could have got back to the nest box if she could do it in the evening ?? Good Luck xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiewish Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hayleybug can you fit the crate in the eglu run or do you have a wir? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayleybug Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hayleybug can you fit the crate in the eglu run or do you have a wir? Hi, i have a WIR, i think you may struggle with an eglu run unless you can partition off the very end and keep her in there? the only issue then is that you really need her raised up off the ground else she will just pancake down on the ground and retain her higher temp which is what you need to bring down to snap her out of it. otherwise you could perhaps put the cage just outside of the run but next to it so the other girls can still see and talk to her? that way you could still raise it on bricks (if you have the room that is). Day 3 for us and shes still angry bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiewish Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 Bum, i thought that might be the case....will have to have a think as we are now over a week on and what I'm doing isn't having enough of an impact it seems. Not sure I want her on her own in a cage in the garden though, seems a bit vunerable. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be very grateful or I think we'll just have to ride it out until she comes out of it herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayleybug Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 You could just let her get on with it, make sure you take her off the nest twice a day atleast so she eats something and make sure to check her for any nasties as I think that's the main concern with excessive nest sitting Of course there is the other option of a cold water dunk but I don't think I would go for that personally Supposed to have a quicker efect tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiewish Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 Thinking of going for the cold water dunk now....they've all stopped laying!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayleybug Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 oh dear! they arent all going broody are they?? maybe she's just putting the others off- have you tried putting a big plant pot or similar in the nestbox overnight so they cant get mega warm on the nest? you could leave it in all the time if they have all stopped laying. hopefully someone who has done the water dunk will be along, otherwise try using the search thing at the top of the forum to search for other posts about it. Clementine is on day 2 of 24 hour lockdown in the dog crate, really hope it works by friday as im off to london and cant leave her in there while im away. if it hasnt worked by then i will have to start all over again on saturday when i get back!!! aargh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charly1979 Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 There is somewhere on the internet a video of the water dunking method but not sure if it was You Tube or backyard hens (something like that ) Good Luck My motely crew keep removing all the bedding from the nestbox daft bunch !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hi pixiewish! I don't believe the "dunk" technique is very effective and probably a bit unkind I haven't tried it on my gang. Also re-not laying that could be to do with the weather being so on and off, temp going up and down. Also they lay a few and take break. Your broody girl may also be putting them off!!!! Sorry haven't got a magic wand to help you fix this just dreading my lot kicking off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I've never worried about broodiness and mostly leave them alone. I take them off the nest a couple of times to make sure that they eat, drink & poop and stretch a bit but otherwise I let them be. I got into the habit of putting a bit of food and water in the coop at night because the broody chickens seem more willing to eat at bedtime. Sometimes all three go broody at once and in the summer I prise them apart in case they overheat because they all squeeze in together into the same corner. Doing this has worked fine for me and I figure that from knowing that 'back off' hormonal feeling that that is what they prefer. They do fine afterwards and get back to laying quite quickly and the day when the broodiness stops is very noisy because the whole of London needs to know that the girls are back in town. Because they're less inclined to move I also find it a good time to check them over and slap on mite powder etc. They don't like it and growl at me but it seems sensible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiewish Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Probably right just to leave her to it, just feel a bit lost with it being my first broody and now the effect its having on the others. ?.plus eggs would be nice lol. First noticed it valentines day (how appropriate) am I right in thinking it should last about 3 weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I hope I'm not leading you up the wrong path, my way of dealing with broodiness is just my way. They are 4yrs oldish and healthy, they are light Sussex bantams. It's worked for us and I just know that if I was feeling very hormonal that I would be really cross if someone dunked my bottom in a cold bath instead of letting me curl up in my favourite place with a book and some chocolate! 2-3 weeks sounds about right although it seems like forever when they all join in. I think they're quite funny when they're broody and I feel quite soppy about them then. Have fun with it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
