bokbok87 Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Hello All, I have a bluebelle hybrid who is about 1 year's old and has decided to go broody. This would be great if I wanted chicks but I don't have a cockerel and don't need any extra hens at the moment. As a lot of you have broody breeds I need some advice! She has been like this a whole week and we have resorted to keeping her in a wicker cat carrier but leave this carrier in the run so she can be with the other girls. For the first 2 nights I brought her inside thinking a change of location might fix this....but it hasn't. Nor has placing plastic ice boxes underneath her helped. Now my OH is telling me I'm cruel for keeping her in solitary confinement. I have been letting her out in the garden to FR for an hour every day but she is clearly searching to get back to her next box. She was the lowest on the pecking order but now she is vicious and refuses to move without a fuss and she keeps making this gentle cooing sound which I can only presume is to call her chicks?? How long can this go on for?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 You need to keep her in something like a dog crate, and remove the plastic bottom and put the crate on bricks. Keep the crate in the run so that she can stay there for 3 days and nights.Make sure she has food and water and shade/shelter from rain. If she's still broody when you get her out, put her straight back in for a couple of nights. I bought a indoor rabbit hutch for this purpose. However I usually just leave mine to stay broody. It's my personal choice. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I never used to crate them but having 8 broodies recently I used a crate raised on bricks, despite one being in there for five days she still went back to being broody a couple of days later. I've gone back to just chucking them out several times a day to eat and drink and I will keep an eye on them health wise. I know they can lose condition and be more prone to mites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mar1a Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I had a similar experience only a few weeks ago - do a search for "do I need a broody cage" thread. Three days and nights in a dog cage up on bricks sorted her out. My only problem with her really was making sure she was eating as she kept scratching the food out of her bowl. Oh, amd she did a great big poo into her water I hated doing it but it was the right thing to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokbok87 Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 It's hard to put them in a crate - my OH is too sensitive to do it so in the end let her out today she's gone back to crazed broody but at least he had the decency to put a flower pot and and ice pack in the nesting box. She's sat defiantly on the roosting bars growling. Back to the beginning over the weekend I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 If she's not stopping the others laying, I'd just leave her. I've got 3 that go broody, they're aged between 3 and 5 years. Never had a problem with their health. If your worried about mites nows the perfect time to treat her, as she won't be laying for a while, so no need to worry about egg withdrawal. You could use drops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
