emmalou Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 This is the second time in two weeks i have had a broody hen..the same one in fact. Temperature here is 37 degrees atm. The first time it was unclear as she wasn't nesting on an egg. However this time she IS broody. I want to try the ice cube method. However, they all nest in the morning then today I closed the nest area so she had to stay outside. It worked ok but she was trying to get in. Anyway, should I put ice cubes under her nest BEFORE she goes in to lay an egg? She takes ages anyway to lay so never sure when she has laid an egg and when she is broody and sitting on the egg? Don't want to keep turfing her off if she hasn't laid an egg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Put her in a broody cage for a few days What a breed is she? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 broodiness isn't temperature related it's hormone related so putting her on ice cubes is not going to work all that will happen is that you end up with a wet hen sitting on a wet nest which if left for a period of time will go mouldy due to the fact that shes plucky out some of the feathers around her chest and keel bone so that she can incubate eggs with body heat that same heat is what could/can cause mould to grow on the damp bedding either use a broody cage or keep removing the eggs from the nest and evicting the broody as often as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 She is a medicis, so prone to broodiness however should be easily rectified although she has been broody twice in 2 weeks. I am holding off the cage atm. The only thing I am not sure about is, mornings are laying times for the chooks and still think she may be laying. I do not want to turf her out if she is trying to lay. This morning at 7am she went back in again and I have just turfed her out and she is in the garden again. She is (I believe) the only one using that nest box so presume she is still laying, although we have been one down for the last 2 days. I don't want to upset her pattern if she is laying and turfing her out is not helping surely? If she is like it tomorrow I will resort to the cage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Emmalou Check on her at night, if she is still in the nest box she is probably broody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 There are other signs mine show - growling at me when I go to touch them, standing their feathers on end and laying down as flat as they possibly can - which could give you a better idea if they are broody. If you put her in a broody cage for 3 days and 3 nights she will still lay an egg in there if she wants to. Mine trick me into thinking they are not broody by laying an egg in the broody cage so I let them out only for them to go straight back to the nesting box. Do not fall for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Merel decided to be broody. Pulled an egg from under her last night and shoved her on the roosting bars. This morning she was hissing and spitting at me and making herself as flat as possible, with wings spread out. When I came home she wasn't on the nest, but I think one of the big girls turfed her out, because they needed to lay an egg. As soon as Ginger was done, Merel was on the egg. Which is enormous compared to her! Just shoved her off again just now. Will see if she persists or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 One of my Pekin was broody recently and was sat on an egg from one of my hybrids about 80g, tried explaining to her that it was not her egg and would have made her eyes water if it had been She had to spend 3 days and nights in dog crate as she had began to loose condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Just turfed Merel off again and placed a trusty big pot in the nesting box. That has her confused for the past 15 min. I think she is now trying to shove the pot from the nest. Loads of grumbles and noise coming from the coop... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 It's really weird. Today Babs was out as normal after yesterday evenings to do in the nest. Today she was OK and eating and drinking well but as 7am went in for an hour, I turfed her out again and she roamed around OK. Then at midday went in for an hour and came out minus an egg. I am really not sure about this broodiness. So she is not producing an egg...buck buck bucking and sometimes goes in. Is this broodiness or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 This is a determined broody hen: When I get her out, she does hangs in my hands, wings down. I have a video too. Click! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 Wow and you still have your fingers I cannot figure Babs out. Maybe she is just fussy about egg laying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Wow and you still have your fingers She is a tiny hen, I will not be intimidated by something that effectively fits in my shoe... She might be thinking about being broody. Ginger sometimes tries it out for a bit, but I think she always decides it's to much work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Doesn't sound like she's broody to me. If she was she wouldn't budge from that nest box. I think she's just a hormonal teenager Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Gosh Catails she is quite placid compared to my feisty Pekin, I had to wear thick gloves to lift her off the nest - I value my fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 She is giving me the runaround that's for sure!!! She went in this morning at 7am so I turfed her out and went in at midday but came out on her own accord minus an egg. I figure she is the loose cannon in the henhouse. We chose the name Babs for a reason!!!!! Certainly makes my job tricky as a newbie trying to figure the girl out. Thanks for your advice. Just don't want to be turfing her out of a nest if she is genuinly laying. No eggs from her today but it is 37 degrees. She is still buck, buck, bucking but hopefully this moment will pass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
