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

[Luvachicken]

So Gemma is just past 7 and a half now and of course being a Pekin, is prone to being broody.

She hasn't laid any eggs yet this year, which doesn't matter to me, but she often goes in the nest box for half an hour and then comes back out.

As yet, she hasn't been broody but she was last year.

Do they only get broody if they are capable of laying eggs ?

[The Dogmother]

No, they'll get broody regardless of whether they are in lay or barren, although older hens are less prone to brooding. She probably just wanted a sit down

[mullethunter]

My Wyandotte Amy who doesn’t lay eggs doesn’t go broody. She also goes to sit in the nestbox for a bit sometimes though.

[The Dogmother]

19 minutes ago, mullethunter said:

My Wyandotte Amy who doesn’t lay eggs doesn’t go broody. She also goes to sit in the nestbox for a bit sometimes though.

You obviously have better quality magazines in your nest box - she's probably gone in there for the recipes!

[Luvachicken]

Thanks both, that's interesting, so I guess it just depends on the chook at the time.

Gemma does like to have a little rest in there and I suppose she is entitled to that at her age. 

[The Dogmother]

I used to have birds laying all over the garden when things got busy in the nest boxes, or a particularly vicious broody had taken up residence before her turn in the Cage of Shame. 

I bought one of these, filled it with Aubiose and it's a favourite place now for laying or just chilling out!

[Patricia W]

That’s lovely!   I like those.  Who sells them? Reminds me, bought one of those boxes with a contraption to roll the egg away ( I think I had an egg eater at the time).  I never got it to work.  It just sits in a corner these days.  

[The Dogmother]

I got mine from Cotswold Chickens - in purple.

The best thing for egg eaters is to fit them with a bumpa bit - give it about a month and they get out of the habit.

[mullethunter]

15 hours ago, The Dogmother said:

bought one of these, filled it with Aubiose and it's a favourite place now for laying or just chilling out!

That’s a good idea because I currently have the Eglu shut during the day to keep Mrs Broody out and therefore do have to play hunt the eggs every day!

[The Dogmother]

25 minutes ago, mullethunter said:

That’s a good idea because I currently have the Eglu shut during the day to keep Mrs Broody out and therefore do have to play hunt the eggs every day!

Mine is in the garden, but you could easily put it in the run.

[patsylabrador]

I was going to ask a similar question. My last chicken is 12 yrs old and she wasn't exactly broody last week but was doing the squat and making the whining noise. I didn't think much of it because of her age but I found four eggs in her nest today. I am quite surprised. 

[Luvachicken]

On 4/21/2020 at 10:39 PM, The Dogmother said:

I used to have birds laying all over the garden when things got busy in the nest boxes, or a particularly vicious broody had taken up residence before her turn in the Cage of Shame. 

I bought one of these, filled it with Aubiose and it's a favourite place now for laying or just chilling out!

I already have one of these 😊

Can't remember where it came from though.

Rokers near Guildford sells them too.