Solitary chicken - need advice

[lugreen]

I have a Wyandotte bantam that takes broody to a whole new level.

 

Her first time round I tried a number of suggested options including a broody cage but I wasn't sold on it being very successful and it turned her into a truly vicious chicken in the process. She would draw blood at any opportunity and at 5'10" I never thought that I would be running away from something smaller than a football but I was!

 

Her first brood lasted 5-6 weeks and this time round she has exceeded the six week point and shows no signs of coming out of it. I remove eggs as frequently as I can, lift her out of the nesting box whenever I am in the run and shoo her off to go eat and enjoy the great outdoors. I also keep her food intake up with a few extra treats and check her for mites etc. (she got scaly mite a couple of weeks ago, which I have cleared up) She's a whole lot calmer this time but nothing seems to be working, she will sit in the coop even when there are no eggs, has plucked herself nearly bald underneath and is starting to feel a bit thin.

 

I have been told to let her hatch eggs/adopt chicks but don't have the space to add extra hens at the moment so it would truly be a last resort and, as she is young and a good layer, I am loathe to give her away. I don't mind the broody but I am concerned for her welfare. Any thoughts and suggestions would be very much appreciated!

[Chickabee]

Maybe her body temperature didn't fall low enough in the cage. You could try putting some ice packs under it or scattering a load of ice cubes. How long did you leave her in there? She might need a bit longer

[lugreen]

Hi Chickabee, thank you for your reply.

 

Last brood she was in and out of the cage for nearly 4 weeks. I would shoo her out of the run to FR in the morning, put her in the cage during the day when I am at work and the others were in the run, more FR when I got home and lock the coop door over night so that she couldn't sneak in there. Other than the length of time it took, as I said it turned her into a thoroughly unhappy and aggressive girl I really don't want to put her through that again.

 

I took a really good look at her last night, her feathers are growing back in and she feels cooler to touch. She's also putting on a bit of weight as I have been hand feeding her extra Alfamix - couldn't have done that last time either. I will try sneaking an ice pack into the nesting box...? She tends to stick to one whilst the others lay in the other two.

[Beantree]

We tried gently immersing a persistent broody in a bath of water. 27 degrees water temperature and about halfway depth in. She lasted about 15 seconds and then screeched and flew out. A week later and she snapped out of it but we're not sure if the water bath helped. Bit worried about a heart attack though!

[lugreen]

Well broody bantam was joined by broody brahma last Thursday and I really, really, didn't want two broody monsters in my coop at the same time. I tried the ice pack idea (thank you Chickabee) under the brahma (who was very warm to the touch), opened the door to the nesting box that the Wyandotte was in to let some light and air in and left them to FR all weekend. I have to say I felt a little guilty as Maggie (brahma) settled very proudly on the ice pack - she looked so pleased with herself - but it has worked a treat. Sunshine and fresh air also snapped Nola W out of her brood finally and I am very pleased to now be broody hen free

[The Dogmother]

The clue is in the Alfamix - what are you feeding her on normally? The ingredients in Alfamix will be inclined to make her rather hot. I would stick to something like Smalholder pellets and cut right back on any treats.