Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[emmalou]

Our Medicis hen Babs always lays an egg first thing in the morning. She was in there this morning when we went out. She always takes a while to lay. This afternoon she was grazing normally, then I went to let them all out in the garden and she just sat in her dust bowl. She came out eventually, however she has been in her nest box for the past hour. We are one egg down today but think she probably did lay this morning although cannot be sure. Is this or could it be broodiness? 7pm is quite late for one of ours to be laying. Not sure what to do as this is my first experience of this issue. I may add that yesterday she shared the same nest box as another and afterwards there were some feathers at the bottom belonging to her. Trying to take her out of the nest box is impossible as she is showing a vicious side and ruffling her feathers up. The chicken house is in two sections. Do I leave her in the nest section tonight with the door open into the roosting section? Thanks in advance.

[Cat tails]

The viciousness and feather ruffling is most likely her being broody.

[emmalou]

Since my first post, I managed to get her out of the nest but after a lot of winging she went back in again. I have left the roosting and nest area open for tonight so she can go between the two, but if she is there tomorrow morning should I block off the nest area? Of course that is a problem with the other chickens! I do not have a broody box for her.

[AndyRoo]

I can't vouch for the effectiveness, but I have seen videos of people online 'curing' a broody hen by giving them a cool bath.

 

 

I don't know if something like that might help?

 

[Grandmashazzie]

I personally just let them get on with it and turf them out to make sure they eat and drink.

[mullethunter]

I know some do use cold water, but I would worry that might put too much stress on their hearts.

 

Some just let them get on with it and turf them out whenever they can to make sure they eat and drink.

 

Others (me included) shut them in a cage (dog crate or similar) for 3 days and night with the cage on blocks. The idea is its neither warm or comfortable enough for them to be broody (give her food and water). In my experience this usually, but not always, works.

 

(or you could give her some fertile eggs to sit on if you have a plan for offspring)

[emmalou]

Ok thanks for the advice. The cold water may result in me losing a hand atm! She is bloomin stroppy. Bit like a teenager I suppose! I think the stress may kill her or make her less social than she was before her broodiness. I think I may just let her sit it out of maybe do the ice cube thing. That way it is more subtle than a cold shower!

Unfortunately I do not have a broody box so will have to just wait it out. She was certainly miserable when I turfed her out yesterday evening although she did have a wonder around the garden but was not happy about it. She was really rattled.

[sjp]

broodiness has got nothing to do with temperature it's hormonal dunking in cold water only results in a hen with wet feathers and wet bedding and is probably cruel I just leave mine to it remove eggs as often as possible and keep evicting the wannabe broody from the nest box some do get a bit snappy but that's why I wear gloves when dealing with a broody now

[emmalou]

I don't agree with washing a chicken. It is far too stressful and unnecessary. Howevr by shutting the nest boxes off also stops the other chickens using the nest boxes. Tomorrow I am out all day. If i i leave food and water near her nest box she will not use them and I will return to a dehydrated chicken! Whats the andwer?

[Daphne]

Assuming you are not going to hatch, then the best answer is to get her a broody cage and put her in it for 3 days and nights ensuring she has access to food and drink. As mentioned, mostly it works. You can leave her in the nest box, but it is inconvenient if you only have one, and you will have to lift her off once or twice a day to ensure she does eat and drink. I work at home, so I often use this option as I am out with the birds at regular intervals anyway, and I shut the broody out for hours (assuming she is not one eggs) to try to encourage her to lose interest. Brooodies can and do die because the instinct to brood overrides the instinct to eat. It's rare for this to happen, but it is far more or common for a sitting broody to lose condition, which is obviously not good for her. Sometimes a sitting broody will lose interest of her own accord and give up, but this is unpredictable, and personally I would never rely on it.

[emmalou]

Hmm Ok thanks. I have left her out this AM but do not have access to a broody cage, or indeed know where to get hold of one quickly. If I push her out tomorrow at 6am and then again at 7pm will that be OK if I leave some food and water in the nest area, hoping the other birds will not knock the dishes over that is!

[Ursula123]

I have a Pekin who has been broody for the last month, I thought I would leave her too it and just make sure she eats and drinks. I have been lifting her off the nest and shutting the cube door but she then broods on the wheel under the cube. she eats and drinks when first off the nest however I have noticed over the last few days that she has got quite thin so today she goes into a broody crate ( cat cage borrowed from my niece ). Wish me luck as she is a feisty little madam

[emmalou]

Ours is a feisty madam too. Have had to watch my fingers a few time. awher are these broody cages available?

[Ursula123]

You can use a cat/dog cage, one of the forum ladies uses a hamster cage but she has bantams, or anything that will allow air to circulate around the offending stroppy madams but keep them contained.

Can you find a large wire basket in France like the ones we get in supermarkets here and secure a lid to it?

[Daphne]

Yes, you need a cat/dog cage really. Do you have a pet shop nearby or could you get one online? Getting her up and out at 6am and 7pm will be fine from a welfare perspective, but it probably won't do much to break her broodiness as she will be sitting for a nice long time! See how you go with food/drink close by, in this heat its a very good idea, although normally in the UK its not necessary and as you suspect it can be messy.

[emmalou]

i am in France and they are around 120 euros. Hubby is going to make a cage for her. So she is fine in it all day but does she roost as normal in the evenings? I am struggling to get answers urgently on this as we are out tomorrow and no time to source a cage.

[Ursula123]

My understanding is three days and nights in the broody cage.

[Cat tails]

Don't think they are €120 in France. This is what you need: http://t.zooplus.fr/shop/chiens/cage_transport_voiture_chien/cage_chien/cage_transport_chien/15600

Zooplus is great at pet supplies and deliver quickly.

[Ursula123]

That's exactly the cage my little Pekin is in now Catails. She has a lovely view up the drive from the garage

[emmalou]

Great. Have bought a large dog cage which is much easier than our quick build yesterday. She is on day 2 today, how do I know when she is ready? She is still clucking bit only when I am trying to access the cage and change water etc. She is eating and drinking fine. She laid an egg overnight and wasn't sitting on it which I thought she would of been?

She is in this cage all day and night atm.

[Daphne]

Keep her there for another 24 hrs. It's good she left the egg alone but just to be on safe side keep going, you don't want to start again. It's an inexact science, there is no magic way of telling, but the signs are positive so far

[emmalou]

Don't think they are €120 in France. This is what you need: http://t.zooplus.fr/shop/chiens/cage_transport_voiture_chien/cage_chien/cage_transport_chien/15600

Zooplus is great at pet supplies and deliver quickly.

They are in French pet stores, however I managed to get an identical one off of Amazon.fr yesterday, hopefully for delivery today. The pet stores here are very pricey and not that close to us and difficult to find one well stocked. When I rang the nearest one to us they were 120 euros. Thanks for the link. I will use Zooplus in the future for sure but the one I got was the same price as theirs. Have they got quick delivery?

[Cat tails]

Don't think they are €120 in France. This is what you need: http://t.zooplus.fr/shop/chiens/cage_transport_voiture_chien/cage_chien/cage_transport_chien/15600

Zooplus is great at pet supplies and deliver quickly.

They are in French pet stores, however I managed to get an identical one off of Amazon.fr yesterday, hopefully for delivery today. The pet stores here are very pricey and not that close to us and difficult to find one well stocked. When I rang the nearest one to us they were 120 euros. Thanks for the link. I will use Zooplus in the future for sure but the one I got was the same price as theirs. Have they got quick delivery?

 

I know it's a curious thing, but I never have used the French Zooplus...

Maybe because I don't speak French.

[emmalou]

oh I presumed they were world wide??

[Cat tails]

No every country has their own Zooplus. I use the Dutch one, they get delivery from Germany mostly.