Chick Return Program??

[sean_wonder]

Again, Badonkadonk isn't broody. She's on the roosting bar most of the time now (a new thing for her) and she doesn't go up into the coop during the day from what I've seen. She hasn't made any sort of external nest. It's weird.

 

[mountainchickens]

I hope your hens are back to normal soon! To elevate the broody breaker you can put hardware mesh or similar wire on the bottom so that they can stand without their feet slipping through. Good luck with your hens and I hope Badonkadonk is OK!

 

[Aunt Angus]

My Poppy was a bit nasty tempered afterward. She went back to normal. It may be pecking order related, too. When they are away from the flock while broody/being broken, the order can reset sometimes. She might be reestablishing her rank.

 

[sean_wonder]

My chickens still aren't laying, and we have 2 laying non broody hens... anyone have any guesses as to why? I've even put the training eggs back in the nest boxes and still nothing.

 

[123RedBeard]

Days are getting shorter ?

Where do you live?

 

[sean_wonder]

Days are getting shorter ?

Where do you live?

PA, but they're new layers and they just started laying a month or two ago. We've gotten several dozen eggs from just the three them over the past couple months, and then as soon as one got broody the other two immediately stopped laying. We have seven hens, only 3 of which were laying. The broody is broken, and the other one is almost broken, but still no eggs.

 

[Cryss]

Also, both me and my mom are against putting her in a wire cage to make her uncomfortable for a couple days. While it's effective, I really don't want her to be forced to stand on wire for so long We don't really need the eggs but she's a Silkie so I'm worried about her health in the future. Her bald spot has already become noticeable and its only day four or so.

I put my cage in the run, not the coop, up on a couple of bricks or 2x4s to lift it just about 2 inches. The wire in the bottom of a dog cage is bigger than the walls and roof so my chicken was able to walk by putting her feet through the big wire openings but when sitting couldn't touch solid ground allowing air to flow under.

Another way I've done it is putting the floor liner in the dog cage without any litter or bedding. Again, set it on bricks or 2x4s so the air can cool that plastic tray. If you are able slide some bottles of frozen water underneath the cage it might make it cooler. I haven't tried the frozen bottle thing but the broody was still broken just on the clean plastic tray. I had a bit of plywood that was slightly bigger than the cage top laid on the top of the cage because her flock mates would get up there and poop on her and her feeders and waterers. In both methods at night I would throw a tarp over it to keep out cool night drafts.
One other thing you MIGHT try is that at night let her out as everyone is inside roosting, let her go in the coop to sleep wherever she choses. First thing in the morning open the coop, pick her up out of the nest, and pop her back in the cage. When she comes out on her own 2 mornings in a row she's broke. I did that the last time my broody went into broodiness. Worked like a charm.

Just remember, not using a cage could be like allowing her to die. It's not the kinder choice.

 

[123RedBeard]

So ... the two pullets that were laying, and are not now, are two different pullets than the two that went broody?

 

[sean_wonder]

So ... the two pullets that were laying, and are not now, are two different pullets than the two that went broody?

no, they're the same. there is one pullet who never went broody but stopped laying as the first one went broody and hasn't started up since

 

[123RedBeard]

I'm gonna guess that between the shorter days, going broody, and the stress of all that, has them "off" ...

Once you get the last (hopefully "last") broody out of the cage, and everybody settles down, and back into their pecking order, that they may start up again ... but winters is coming, and it just may be too late to fire up the egg machine till spring ...