Natspringy Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Eek we have another broody. What is it with my girls????!!! Going on holiday in a week..... Might have to get a broody box going altho she was getting so het up about getting back into the nest box I was getting worried she'd over heat. Any tips gladly welcomed as one week to break this 😬😬😬😬 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 Am wondering if I should get someone in the whole time we are away now instead of paying my neighbours.... so tricky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrannyTrish Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 I would put her in the broody box now. I would also let my neighbour see what to do just in case it happens when you're away, unless you decide to get someone in the whole time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 Thank you Granny Trish. My only worry was with stress and mareks so I've been unsure if I should. I dipped her in cool water a few times and she'a started foraging (they have been shut out the run too) so fingers crossed but definitely need a strategy for when we are away. Its tempting to get a house sitter full time but then I know and trust my neighbour. Tricky call.... my uncle in the states did point out his broodies are fine in 40 degrees. Not sure why we are having so many, legbars are meant to be rare ones for brooding..Not my bunch tho 😂😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrannyTrish Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Maybe best to wait and see what the others say that have more experience with mareks. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Have two broodies too. Merel was just done being broody, didn’t even bother going back to laying, but now broody again. And Ginger who is over 4 years old and never really broody, is definitely a broody madam now. Most here really advice against dipping or dunking in cold water. Apparently it can cause too much stress and have the hen die of that. Have to say, me too often feel the urge to just run Merel under an ice cold tap... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 Oh goodness! I hope I haven't harmed her. So much conflicting advice. 😞 Worried I'll have caused her too much stress 😬 thank you Cattails I won't do that again then... So worried another will go broody whilst we are away too. And what can I do?!! Thanks all for ears and advice. Is there anyway to tell if I've caused undue stress? Would she die instantly??! So worried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 What I understand, it would be quite instant. Wouldn’t worry too much about it and same regarding any chickens going broody while you are away. I really think you have been unlucky and the mareks and broodiness just coincided. Like I’ve said before, I most likely have a marek positive flock and chickens going broody all the time. I don’t use a broody pen and just let them get on with it, but trying to chuck em out as much as possible, closing the coop when I think no eggs are due anymore that day and making them perch outside when I know there will be a cold night (no foxes here). Chickens aren’t stupid and they will leave the nest to eat and drink, as long as eggs are removed daily. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 Thank you Cattails, okay so she's okay so I guess I can assume I havent killed her with stress. Fingers crossed. Okay will just relax a bit more and just get her out but leave it at that. Thank you xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyRoo Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 I've actually not had a broody hen yet. Is it something they tend to do later in life? My light Sussex seems to quite enjoy sitting on a clutch of eggs for some time after she's laid, but as soon as I move her on and take the eggs, it's like she forgets they were even there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 Mine are only 10 months and on our 3rd broody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Think they do have to sort of get the hang of being broody. Some are better at it than others. Normally Ginger gave up very quickly and was never as determined as this time around. But Merel can stay broody for weeks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 And Cattails you're so right; in general I just need to stress less about my girls. I worry so much about my chickens. All the time and on everything! Always did and then the mareks really threw me. I need to try to relax and enjoy them 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 I agree, relax and enjoy them! I would pop her straight in a broody cage to snap her out of it quickly so she's not broody while you're away. Show your neighbours so worst case scenario they can pop her back in there while you're away but really a few days won't harm anything. Just make sure you're on top of mite prevention. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 12, 2018 Author Share Posted June 12, 2018 Thanks Lewis. I dust pretty regularly altho it' very dusty some days so limiting myself a bit abut other good mite prevention tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrannyTrish Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 14 hours ago, AndyRoo said: I've actually not had a broody hen yet. Is it something they tend to do later in life? Winnie is around two years old and has had a few broody spells this year. It's only lasted around 24 hours each time - so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 12, 2018 Author Share Posted June 12, 2018 Eggy is less broody but today is still trying. Crumbs was over a week and shellington was the same. My girls are stubborn! 😂 I did read cream legbars aren't meant to get broody really and not in the first season. 😂😂😂😂 They are all legbars in their first season 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 I use Ivermectin once a year and spray the coop with Perbio Choc RTU in the eglus and run to keep mites at bay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 I have had to leave my broody cage in the run because as soon as it goes back in the shed I need it back again the next day 5 out of my 6 have been broody. I was just thinking that a certain chick from last year hadn't managed it like her 2 siblings then, lo and behold she is broody today - so in the cage she has gone. One of the other chicks from last year has been broody twice so far. Can't wait for it to cool down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 12, 2018 Author Share Posted June 12, 2018 5 hours ago, Lewis said: I use Ivermectin once a year and spray the coop with Perbio Choc RTU in the eglus and run to keep mites at bay. Thanks Lewis 4 hours ago, Luvachicken said: I have had to leave my broody cage in the run because as soon as it goes back in the shed I need it back again the next day 5 out of my 6 have been broody. I was just thinking that a certain chick from last year hadn't managed it like her 2 siblings then, lo and behold she is broody today - so in the cage she has gone. One of the other chicks from last year has been broody twice so far. Can't wait for it to cool down Yes bring on winter 😂😂😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 13, 2018 Author Share Posted June 13, 2018 Good news broody girl still bok bokking and attacking the dog 😬😂 but out foraging today and not tried to get into the nest box since I opened it! Phew. Right no brooding allowed for the next 3 weeks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotherhamgirl Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 One of our hens got broody just before we went on holiday. I was worried the rest would follow her, as that's what happened last year. So we gave her a separate nest (a dog kennel with a mobile nest in it) and I put some wooden eggs in it to encourage her to go back to it. I was just hoping that if she was in a different nest (where she also spent the night) the others wouldn't 'catch' the broodiness and our poor neighbour would only have one broody girl to contend with while we were away. And it worked!! Obviously there's no sure way of knowing if it was separating her that did the trick but I suspect it was. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natspringy Posted June 13, 2018 Author Share Posted June 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Rotherhamgirl said: One of our hens got broody just before we went on holiday. I was worried the rest would follow her, as that's what happened last year. So we gave her a separate nest (a dog kennel with a mobile nest in it) and I put some wooden eggs in it to encourage her to go back to it. I was just hoping that if she was in a different nest (where she also spent the night) the others wouldn't 'catch' the broodiness and our poor neighbour would only have one broody girl to contend with while we were away. And it worked!! Obviously there's no sure way of knowing if it was separating her that did the trick but I suspect it was. Great idea. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
