Chicken boarders

[pixiewish]

This is driving me slightly insane now. Tikka has been broody since valentines day and shows no signs of snapping out of it.

 

She has now been joined by Korma, leaving me only Pie laying.

 

I don't have enough room in the run for a broody cage (don't have a WIR) and have tried giving tikka a cold bath a couple of times with no joy.

 

I turf them out the nestbox each morning but after eating and drinking they are straight back, or if I block it off they hunker down together elsewhere.

 

What can I do?? And will tikka ever lay again???

Edited May 15, 2013 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

You do need to use a broody cage (as per thread in the FAQ section) if you are to stop them brooding. Mine goes in the Cube run, but we used to hang them from a shady tree in my grandfolks' orchard in the old days. It's better if they can be in with the others, but sometimes you have to make compromises.

[pixiewish]

Ok, so I'll just have to have them in a cage in a shaded spot in the garden then. Not sure I'm keen on that idea, but if its the only way.

[miller30]

That's pekins for you if ive read your signature right lol I have them all over the place at the mo another 4 started going broody yesterday and I have a little pekin that hatched me 2 lovely turkey poults yesterday shes very happy with them try the sin bin I have never managed to snap a pekin out of it out of about 20 I have there is only one who doesn't go broody oh and if your feeling depressed after reading my post I have an Orpington bantam sat on 15 eggs due next week sorry leanne

[Luvachicken]

Hmmm, I have pekins too.

Suzie, who was only broody about a month ago, is broody again, and having boasted to friends that the others weren't broody, now Gemma appears to be.

I only have one dog cage and might have to split it in two to fit Gemma in.

 

And yet Queenie, who laid most of the winter, has never shown any signs of being broody..........yet.

 

What is it with pekins ? Why do they seem to get most broody and why are some pekins more broody than others ?

[The Dogmother]

*shrugs* they just are.... also, the general rule of thumb is that the fluffier a chicken is, the more likely she is to go broody.

[Luvachicken]

*shrugs* they just are.... also, the general rule of thumb is that the fluffier a chicken is, the more likely she is to go broody.

 

That explains it then - Queenie has the least fluffy feet

[Margaret]

Three of them at the moment. They take it in turns to be in the broody cage. Three nights in and then onto the next one.

Cant close off next box and still have Lily who want to lay ( she was broody last month )

So hopefully by next week we should be ok for a few days, and then we start all over again.

One good thing is not too much poo at the moment.

[Cheeky Chooky]

I just let them get on with it; I turf them out every now and then for food, drink and a quick dust bath