The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[flagirl]

last yr I had an ee go broody-tried dunking her in cold water to cool her off, never worked. finally borrowed a dog cage like above and put on riser so no place to nest. 2 weeks and she was no longer broody. only problem was fixing the top so she could not escape-renamed hr Houdini--she could get out of the smallest space after apparently climbing the sides to get thru the top. she went broody again yesterday, so have to put her in the cage again. last year it was about 4 months before she laid eggs again after trying so long to stop her broodiness, then molt. catching it early this yr.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Well she wanted nothing to do with the other nesting box in the old run. She was pacing the run at 6 am. I opened the door & she was out like lightening. Once I got her back in with the others she promptly went into the nesting box and settled in. So I marked the hatching eggs and put them under her. She nestled them under her and she continuously growled & fluffed at me. I obviously will check on her after work.

I truly believe she is broody. She has plucked all the feathers off her chest and belly area. She is spread out like a pancake as well. She doesn't seem to keep the others out when they want to lay. I am guessing because she wants their eggs. The hatching eggs are marked & she has them all tucked under her. The nesting box I made up for her is in the coop. Maybe the other girls will lay in there.

I know I need to candle around 10 days. Is that 10 days from when they were laid or when she started sitting on them?

 

[mlowen]

last yr I had an ee go broody-tried dunking her in cold water to cool her off, never worked. finally borrowed a dog cage like above and put on riser so no place to nest. 2 weeks and she was no longer broody. only problem was fixing the top so she could not escape-renamed hr Houdini--she could get out of the smallest space after apparently climbing the sides to get thru the top. she went broody again yesterday, so have to put her in the cage again. last year it was about 4 months before she laid eggs again after trying so long to stop her broodiness, then molt. catching it early this yr.

I read the sooner you catch it, the easier she is to break. I hope so. She just started a couple of days ago and was not firmly committed, yet. She would stay off for awhile whenever I made her leave the nest, but when she got back to it, she was the "growling pancake of death."

 

[lalaland]

I read the sooner you catch it, the easier she is to break. I hope so. She just started a couple of days ago and was not firmly committed, yet. She would stay off for awhile whenever I made her leave the nest, but when she got back to it, she was the "growling pancake of death."

"growling pancake of death" thats hilarious and so true!

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
I have hatching eggs available most of the time. sfh, dorking, bantam cochin, EE

 

[ki4got]

Well I put Lucy in the old run with her fertilized eggs. She got off and went to eat & drink. I went to my friends hoping she would settle down and go back on the eggs. When I got home she was roosting on top of the shavings bale. So thinking she likes a covered nesting box like she usually sits in I quickly made her one out of a Rubbermaid container. (Like the one Leah's mom has posted pics of) Threw the shavings and eggs in it & put her in it. She promptly ran out, out the open run door and tried to get in the coop.

I caught her put her back in the Rubbermaid container with the opening facing the wall so she can't get out. I'll turn it later when she settles down. I'm hoping once she warms the eggs up she will stay put especially with it being dark out.

Do you guys think she would do better in her normal nesting box brooding her eggs? Or maybe in the normal coop in the Rubbermaid container? She's used to having the other hens around and in & out of the nesting box all day laying eggs with her.

when I move a broody, it's usually at night so she's in sleep mode anyways. they go to a plastic tote (screen insert in the lid) and a small washcloth or hand towel over the screen to keep her dark longer. if I have eggs hatching, i'll put a pipped egg under her to hatch out and put her in 'momma mode' but if not, i'll sneak a young chick under her tail in the morning, and keep her dark. usually after a couple hours she's accepted one, then I can put more in with her. once she's had her brood for a few hours in the dark I'll take the cloth off the top and let her have some light, maybe put a small water dish in the tote and sprinkle some food in the other corner. (the 10 gallon size btw, not big enough to get away from babies LOL) once I hear her talking to them, she gets to graduate to the brooder for a few days to a week. depends on the broody.

 

[ki4got]

Well she wanted nothing to do with the other nesting box in the old run. She was pacing the run at 6 am. I opened the door & she was out like lightening. Once I got her back in with the others she promptly went into the nesting box and settled in. So I marked the hatching eggs and put them under her. She nestled them under her and she continuously growled & fluffed at me. I obviously will check on her after work.

I truly believe she is broody. She has plucked all the feathers off her chest and belly area. She is spread out like a pancake as well. She doesn't seem to keep the others out when they want to lay. I am guessing because she wants their eggs. The hatching eggs are marked & she has them all tucked under her. The nesting box I made up for her is in the coop. Maybe the other girls will lay in there.

I know I need to candle around 10 days. Is that 10 days from when they were laid or when she started sitting on them?

the problem with a common nest is the other hens laying may inadvertently break/scramble the hatching eggs...

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: I have had a couple broken eggs since she has been broody. She keeps pushing all the shavings away from her. I put a piece of flooring in there to try & keep the shavings in but she has managed to knock them out still. There are small slits in the bottom where the shavings fall out I thought the flooring covering it would prevent it. Nope. I may grab a small bale of hay to put in there to see of she likes that better.

 

[flyladyrocks]

Don't ever apologize for posting pics of Chickens! They are adorable!! I am addicted to chick/chicken pictures. We completely enjoyed our morning slide show! These are my favorites, I think one of the top two may be my new screen saver! Thanks for sharing.

 

[LindaB220]

I have hatching eggs available most of the time. sfh, dorking, bantam cochin, EE

Good to know. I'll check back on eggs. Thanks