Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Sarattie]

I have searched the forum and i still need a couple of answers please

please help!

 

My 8 month only wyandotte bantam has been laying since just before xmas and is now I THINK turning into a moodybroody

 

She sits on the egg box all day

 

from my 3 bantams i was getting 2 eggs a day, now im lucky to get one so is this because she is stopping the others laying?

 

At first I turfed her out and shut the door in the morning. But the others ended up laying in the run and felpt this was cruel to them, and also she then spent all night sleeping in the eg box bit

 

I dont have anywhere else I can put her. i could put a pet carrier inside the run to put her in but very confined

 

IF i can find someone to give me a small dog crate to fit in the run, do i leave her isolated for nights and days and for how lng? wont she get cold?

 

Why are the others not laying anymore?

 

If she sits on an egg all day is it still ok to use? I only collect at tea time so if its laid in the morning she could be sat on it all day...

 

please help!! at the moment shes getting away with moodybroodiness and the others arent getting a look in!!

[charly1979]

My Prilly recently went broody the only advice I can offer is that you need to find a way of seperating her in the day (at least thats what I did) Ideally so she can see her sisters I was able to split my run giving her access to food water and shelter then each night I popped her back in the main house and each morning back in what we called the 'broody run' took 10 days to break her and its been a few weeks now and she has just started laying.

 

As for the others not laying could be beacuse shes not letting them in the nestbox. Prilly would let Marilyn and Connie in but only so she could sit on thier eggs, not knowing what your set up is like double check that they are not laying elsewhere my freind has just found out that her girls have been laying in a hedge as well as under a shed (little monkeys)

 

Hope this helps and good luck x

[Sarattie]

At the moment they are only in the Eglu as I am out during the day and they only roam while I am home to watch for foxes etc

 

I have an eglu so if I close the door they all are confined to the outside during the day?

[Sarattie]

Anyone??!?

[mimi5]

Hi there!

 

So as you have discovered broody hens are very persistent!!!! I have a cube with 3 metre run so I use a wire cat carrier (ebay) and 2 galley pots (food & water) place it inside my run raised up on bricks. Then it's lock down for 3 days and nights!!!! (not sure about the current cold spell?!) The hen needs to stay within sight and sound of the others so the pecking order isn't upset, but she needs to cool off. Mine haven't been broody this early in the year.........yet although I did think Milly might be heading that way....but thankfully she's gone off the idea!!Phew

 

Hope that this helps!!??

[Sarattie]

Thanks mimi5

I'll see if anyone can loan me a carrier!! Is that not too confined will she be ok in a little space?

[mimi5]

Is that not too confined will she be ok in a little space?

 

She'll probably pancake down to start with!!!! I guess it depends on the size of the carrier, but mine can turn around in theirs and have full head height