Cozpip Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Hi. I've had a broody hen for 7 weeks now which is getting beyond a joke! I'm wishing I'd bought sme fertile eggs for her to sit on now. I've tried locking her out the cube during the day but as soon as I open it again she's back in. We are. Bit restricted on some for them at the mo as we re having building work but I need to get this sorted. She nicks all the others eggs as soon as they lay poor girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne2 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Think is time to be cruel to be kind, really. Hens are not "designed" to be broody for more than 3 wks, after all. Take her off the nest; but then make sure she cannot make a nest anywhere else. Including at night. After all they want roosting bars at night and not a nest box. Haden your heart and give her only roosting bars. Remove all the eggs, promptly. Sounds like you do this already. If possible, put her on open-mesh floor. Obviously not something that could damage her feet and hurt her, but often open mesh (think shopping trolley rather than chicken wire) will make her give up the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 3 days and 3 nights in a dog crate or similar with food and water is what she needs. This needs to be raised on bricks or something so that air can circulate all around her. She will not like it at first and will pace up and down making you feel guilty but it does work. My Suzie seems to be broody then back to normal for a couple of weeks and then back to broody. And now Queenie seems to have caught the broody bug too so she will be going in the dog crate later today. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I agree, she needs to be in a broody cage, sharpish. it isn't good for them to be persistently broody, especially at this time of year, as they can become magnets for mites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcharlie43 Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Sorry to hijack this thread but do you put the broody cage in the run? I have a broody hybrid I have a dog cage but don't know whether to leave the cage in the run which is not too protected during the night or put the cage in the garage and leave her there. Any ideas please? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I had my first broody recently. Somewhere on this forum I read that dunking them in a cold bath helped bring them out of it, as it lowers the body temp - and so 'switches off' the broodiness. Did this every time she went back on the nest (well, every time I caught her, which is a different thing ) for something over a week. She's stopped being broody now BTW I used a large plant pot for the bath - she pooed in in every time - so don't use anything 'nice'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Sorry to hijack this thread but do you put the broody cage in the run? I have a broody hybrid I have a dog cage but don't know whether to leave the cage in the run which is not too protected during the night or put the cage in the garage and leave her there. Any ideas please? Thanks My dog crate is within the run - but inside my wooden run not the actual cube run. So far, each time the broody has been in there, they have been quite safe. I cover them over at night time so they are in the dark and the wake them up when I wake up the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
