Broody Hens

[RodDog]

I just joined here yesterday so please bare with me, I only started life with chickens about 8 months ago and got them when they were 1 month old, I originally got them for my wife and the eggs that they would eventually lay but I quickly became attached to them and love all of them!!! They started laying and all was good then on one Saturday one became broody and then next day another one went broody I tried several different tricks didn't work so I went with the dog cage that I sat on saw horses, I only have 1 cage so I put the first one in it and after 3 days she was cured YAY cause it really was breaking my heart watching her in that cage and I usually ain't a softy!!! Then came time for the other and she is a lot smaller than the other and her feet are a lot smaller and I don't have any chicken wire to put on the bottom so I put a small strip of card board so she can at least stand on it but after 3 days she still broody so now finally to the question, is having that card board stopping her progress? I'm learning chicken life as I go so please bare with me and this site has really helped me cause before I decided to join every question I've had along the way Google sent me here!!!

 

[Pork Pie]

Firstly, hi and welcome to BYC - great to have you join us. Your question is perfectly valid and logical, so don't sweat that

(even if it wasn't - who cares? If you don't ask - you'll never know)


I think that your suspicions are correct in that the cardboard will act as an insulator, more than allowing air to pass around her body. Can you "borrow" a cooling rack from the kitchen? Failing that, I'd make lots and lots of holes in the cardboard.

Its also possible that she may be harder to break than your other bird - some seem to be very stubborn!

All the best
CT

 

[RodDog]

Firstly, hi and welcome to BYC - great to have you join us. Your question is perfectly valid and logical, so don't sweat that   (even if it wasn't - who cares? If you don't ask - you'll never know)


I think that your suspicions are correct in that the cardboard will act as an insulator, more than allowing air to pass around her body. Can you "borrow" a cooling rack from the kitchen? Failing that, I'd make lots and lots of holes in the cardboard. 

Its also possible that she may be harder to break than your other bird - some seem to be very stubborn! 

All the best
CT

Thank you and thanks for the idea, I do have a cooling rack and will go with that!! I am not very creative so I do appreciate the advice!!!!

 

[Pork Pie]

You are most welcome - I'm not very creative either to be honest - hope it works for you (well, your hen actually

)

Cheers
CT

 

[aart]

I use one of my wire dog crates, removed the tray and put a piece of 1x2 wire fencing on the bottom instead, and can still slide tray in if needed.