Ladylucan Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Does anyone know how often Bantams go broody, ?, is it certain times of the year?,, once a year?, every so many weeks?, Only because i think mine are going broody again, !!!, and they only hatched a lot 12 weeks ago!!, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 My Pekin Pepsi has been broody 3 times this year and she was spending an awful lot of time in the nestbox today Last year Buttercup went broody in January and managed 5 times all together, this year she hasn't bothered and decided to have a mega moult instead. The other 2 have never been broody Bantams don't go broody in the Winter but they don't lay either Probably a waste of space really but I wouldn't be without them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisHapp Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Last year, Penny went broody for a couple of weeks - and she was quite a pain too, pecking etc. when I tried to encourage her off the nest to eat & drink. This year, she has not been broody at all. This year, princess Leah has been broody an awful lot and has been very, very stubborn about it too! Not pecky, but simply stubborn. Skye has been broody once, but sorted after a couple of weeks. I don't mind them having a break from laying, but they can be a pain for the other birds having access to the nest box and you do need to make sure they eat/drink. MH x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Sherbert, our Pekin Bantam went broody when we were on holiday, so we couldn't get her out of it quickly. Then we managed to convince her not to be broody - for 2 weeks - then she fell again 4 weeks clear since the last episode now, & I have the broody breaker to hand just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 13, 2007 Author Share Posted August 13, 2007 ok, what is your broody breaker, xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisHapp Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Breaking a broody... well, I think that if you spot it very early and quick to remove eggs and boot them out of the nest, then they can snap out of it quite quickly. If they have chance to settle in the nestbox, they can be much more tricky. Putting a football or plant pot on the nestbox at night encourages them to roost rather than nest. If things are taking a little longer, you can put them in a broody cage. You need a pet carrier type cage - preferably with wire at the bottom - it must be uncomfortable for them to sit. I have used a pet carrier in the past and slotted the roosting bars in. Inside the cage you need to place some corn/grit (I leave off the layers pellets for a few days) and water. Then, you just leave them in there for about 3 days. After 3 days, let them out and see what they do - if they rush back to the nest, then pop them back in the cage for another day. Some people have tried dunking the tummy area of the chooks in cold water... not sure if this works or not. I usually feel a bit guilty about the broody cage method, so as I have 2 eglus, I shut the broody in one of the eglu runs (with food/water of course) and make sure the door to the eglu is shut. The others have the free range area we have set up for them and the other eglu to lay in. Before I had 2 eglus, I used an ark for this purpose as well. This method does take a bit longer than the broody cage method, but I don't mind them having a rest from laying and they have a bit more room to scratch about. HTH MH x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Its the cage metheod. I do feel guilty, but it does work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
