Luvachicken Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 My lovely Tilly, the only pekin of mine to have laid all month, has decided over the last couple of days to become broody. I know cracking the habit is 3 days and nights in the broody cage but I have only ever had a broody during the warmer months and right now is pretty chilly. Do I still do the broody cage or is it too cold to be by herself ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Oh no! She was doing so well - silly little Tilly. Can't answer I'm afraid, and the may be the wrong thing to do but I think if it was me I'd consider putting her in the broody cage but bringing her into the garage or utility room at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 that's what we had to do with her the very first time we put her in there in the Summer, she squawked her head off so much we had to shut her in the conservatory. She really hates it in the broody cage. She makes that funny grumpy noise and constantly paces up and down trying to get out. It is very hard to watch. None of my others do it and settle very quickly in the broody cage. Anyway, I have just caught up with the Countryfile weather and I think it will be warming up a bit after tomorrow so I may well put her in it then. I just hope it's not too cold and she doesn't need longer than the usual 3 days/nights as she has done before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 I dunked my broody in cold water but that was again In the Summer. However I did have a robin in our bird bath last night @4pm when it must have been around freezing which I couldn't make head or tail why a robin would take a bath in such cold weather....unless he/she was that dirty or going out for the night?! Dunking a broody did work for us too. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Have decided to put her in the broody cage tomorrow She has been shut out all day but as soon as that door is open she shoots up like a rocket, obviously warming herself back up in the egg compartment overnight. Back to watching her pace up and down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 Got the broody cage ready, popped some bedding in and left the cage door open to get the food and water. I came back with the food and water to find Tilly in the broody cage digging about. She was not impressed to see me shut the door. Poor little thing, I did feel sorry for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Which one is Tilly if its the lemon cuckoo her mums currently sat on eggs lol sorry not much help and dont put any bedding in cage she will just make a nest out of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Oh dear poor old Tilly. You have to be strong and it give in to her - she just doesn't realise it's for her own good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 I've heard of a couple of late broodies, with this warmer weather. The broody cage will do the job, but don't be tempted to bring it in at night; she needs to be cooled down. Please don't dunk your birds in cold water to break them of broodiness; they have weak hearts and it is quite common to kill a bird this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted November 25, 2015 Author Share Posted November 25, 2015 Which one is Tilly if its the lemon cuckoo her mums currently sat on eggs lol sorry not much help and dont put any bedding in cage she will just make a nest out of it Yes miller, Tilly is the lemon cuckoo - obviously gets it from her mum then Tilly is safe and sound in the broody cage inside the run with her release date set for Friday morning then hopefully I can put the broody cage away until Spring. Dogmother, I've also read bad things about dunking them. I'd imagine they would get extremely cold if they were wet and then had wind chill added into the equation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Yes, and the shock is too much for them. I'm afraid that pekins are inclined to brood - a general rule of thumb is that the fluffier hens are more likely to brood. I usually have a couple in my flock, and if they're not hatching, they are often in the Cage of Shame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 So, DM is it not advisable to dunk broodies even in hot weather? I've only ever had 1 broody and it seemed to cure her, but perhaps it was just coincidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted November 25, 2015 Author Share Posted November 25, 2015 Oh I know how broody pekins can be So far only 2 out my 5 pekins haven't become broody - that's my two lavender pekins - so fingers crossed that they haven't learnt how to do it by Spring. I don't mind any of them being broody, as their pretty colours and friendliness far outweighs the time spent in the cage. Gotta love a pekin Maybe that should be my username - luvapekin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 So, DM is it not advisable to dunk broodies even in hot weather? I've only ever had 1 broody and it seemed to cure her, but perhaps it was just coincidence. No, not a good idea for the reasons I've given above. I know that some folks have done it in the past, but it's risky healthwise considering that they easily die of shock, and I should think it's probably not wise welfare-wise either. A broody cage is far better and successful too. Put the cage up on bricks, in the run so it is under cover and they will be fine. An old-style alternative in the summer is to suspend the cage under a tree branch, in the shade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Thank you DM for that, hopefully I won't have any more brooies, but now I know what to do with them. The book I got the advice from is quite old fashioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Oh no Luv! You said the B-word! Got myself a winter broody too... Silly Cinnamon... Have no way of seperating her at night though, so will turf her out tomorrow and keep the coop shut for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I have one now, I don't have a broody cage yet. so I gave her 12 eggs, one broken, she has 11 now, if she hatches anything I will put electric hen beside her to help the chicks. I don't expect much as I have one rooster for 25 hens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I wouldn't bank on a good fertility rate at this time of year. I take it that you've moved her to a broody coop? Personally, I don't like to hatch at this time of year; with the best will in the world, if the weather turns bad, the chicks will suffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I've hatched in January both with a incubator and a broody both were my best hatches the broodies eggs hatched on a day when it didn't get above freezing all and for the next 3 days the girls will be 5 and 6 years old in January and most are still laying both hatches were 5 out of 6 my spring / early summer hatches have been terrible this years been the worst in the 6 years I've been hatching Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I wouldn't bank on a good fertility rate at this time of year. I take it that you've moved her to a broody coop? Personally, I don't like to hatch at this time of year; with the best will in the world, if the weather turns bad, the chicks will suffer. If I knew she was planning to get broody I would have given some viagra to my rooster. no I don't have a broody coop. I am making one,"if anything hatch chicks will be fine in the warm new broody coop. I should finish it next weekend. I didn't even Isolate her, but funny enough, she doesn't let any hens lay in her nest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I'm glad to hear that you're making her a broody coop; she and the chicks will be safer in that until they are big enough to manage the rough and tumble of the flock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 My Blue columbian wyandotte boy Darth is still on full throttle lol 6/6 eggs under a broody due the end of the week broody and chicks will move into my winter shed once hatched Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 Oh no Luv! You said the B-word! Got myself a winter broody too... Silly Cinnamon... Yep, sorry. This is my first Winter broody in my almost 7 years of chicken keeping. I hope everyone's broodies snap out of it soon and that any chicks that hatch survive into beautiful chickens later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Another broody today This is partly my fault. a hen made a nest at the very end of the garden, to protect her from the rain I put Pop Up Garden Bag over the nest, made a door/curtain with scissors and reinforced the bag with little canes. I put 2 plastic eggs in the nest to discourage her from building another nest Tonight I went to collect her egg. I found her in the nest. She is only laying for one month or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Cinnamon gave up after one day! Didn't even do anything to change her mind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
