The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Lacy Blues]

I have had constant broodies too this year. I did more research since I was having trouble breaking them. I realized that I needed to keep them in the cage overnight, too - since even if you put them on the roost, they seem to find a way to get to the nest regardless of what you have done to block them off at night. Each time they make it to a nest, it seems to "recharge" the broodiness. Cages up off the ground supposedly work best since air flow improves to cool their heated chest and legs. When I have had multiple broodies, though, I haven't noticed a difference between keeping them in a temporary run and keeping them in a wire cage off the ground.

Longest time in a cage: 5 days, most of them break on the 3rd or 4th day.

Best tip: if you can, put them in a temporary run for a bit during the day and throw them scratch - anything to encourage normal behavior.

I have tried a cold water sitz bath, but it didn't seem to accomplish anything on the three different hens I tried it with. I have not tried dunking their entire body in cold water.

I have found I have to be extremely diligent about removing potential broodies from the nest, and when I am at work on long days, I seem to get a broody since I can't collect the eggs.

Right now, I have been broody free for almost 36 hours!!!

36 HOURS! ????

Struck me SOOoooo funny!

I put an angle bracket at the top of a post, grabbed a cage that is two feet square with a wire bottom and strung two 4-foot bungee cords from opposite corners, wired them to an s-hook and hung the cage up. It's face level for me now so I can take care of her without bending over! Yay! Anyway, she has been in there since I put her in there. Today is her second day. She is under shade cloth and I have more shade cloth on the top and sides of her cage, but not the front and back. Ten minutes in our sun will kill her and that isn't my goal.

I hope she breaks soon... for her sake.

Lacy, I had a question about broodies and their chicks, when will they fledge them? Our broody and chicks are still separated from the flock, due to the chicks not being big enough to be out for free range. So she and the chicks are in the enclosed run win a small coop, still sleeping in the nest boxes. The chicks will be 30 days old, in the next couple days. The babies know how to roost as they roost on the run perches and roosts. We also had to integrate the 15, two month kids with the adult flock and give mom and babies the run. Is she waiting to fledg them once she re-joins the flock and roosting with them? I do not plan on integrating these chicks with our flock as they are going elsewhere, due to space restrictions. Should I just go ahead and remove the chicks and get them moved on and let mom rejoin the flock or wait until she is ready? Thanks

To everyone who contributes to this thread, I have been reading and re-reading this thread often. I love the discussion and while I don't always jump in (I am still a newbie relatively in the chicken world) I am always learning from this amazing group of people here sharing their knowledge, trial and errors.

Oh and lastly to anyone who might know, I need opinions. We have a very aggressive young cockerel who is the alpha if the Fifteen nine week olds. He started crowing at week 7 and by week 8 he began mounting his flock mates, rather brutally. I did see his dad chase him off a young pullet last night after the youngster was rough. Isn't this rather early for these types of acts, mainly the mating?

My birds usually go about six weeks. My latest one that is about finished with them was super broody and they were filling up the space I had them in so I moved them all to a new pen. The day she got in there her comb was still all shrivelled and she was clucking just like a broody. It has been less than two weeks now. Her comb has filled back out and she laid her first post-broody egg the day before yesterday. She tolerates the chicks still so she is still with them. Figuring out how and when and where to recombine adult fowl is trying, to say the least.

They're 30 days? If the chicks are leaving, you could send them any time. They will be fine without her and she will go on and perhaps mother the older ones.

Regarding that young cockerel, if you don't especially want to keep him, I'd say get rid of him. I doubt he is "mating" the other chicks even though it looks like it and this behavior will stunt the other chicks as well because of the stress involved with such an aggressive boy.

Very cute but why is the water so green? is it veggie juice?

You beat me to it.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Love those broody's and kiddos! I haven't had any this year.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Love those broody's and kiddos! I haven't had any this year.

CAREFUL!

The way this year has been, I wouldn't be surprised to hear you say "I have a broody!" as soon as tomorrow!

 

[SherrieC]

I can't keep roosters but if I could I would call him as he would cause unnecessary stress in your flock and his traits may get get passed on to future chicks.

 

[tjo804]

Just a thought I had a roo who was very eager and aggressive. I introduced him to the Queen (Brady) She taught him some manners QUICK! he never approached another Lady like that again. Sometimes the older ladies in the flock will straighten out a young roo in ways a human never could. So if you want to try to keep him separate him for now let him see but not touch the other birds when he gets big enough introduce him to your flock. See if he can learn some manners from the wiser ladies.

 

[tjo804]

Oh ps He became a wonderful protector of my flock.

 

[sweetlife]

@COchick And....have you ever seen such a ridiculous site as these huge "kids" trying to still get under their mamma?

Love it!lol

 

[lalaland]

CAREFUL!

The way this year has been, I wouldn't be surprised to hear you say "I have a broody!" as soon as tomorrow!

Yup!!! my 36hours is up, came home to another broody. dang.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Has anyone tried this for poison ivy? I'm thinking that it needs sun to work and since pi is usually in shady areas, not sure if it will be effective...


Quote:

 

[COChix]

Very cute but why is the water so green? is it veggie juice?

Sorry, it is leftover juice from the day before that myself and BF had left over. Kale, cucumbers, carrots, banana and water. Great for you and full of micronutrients. So during the summer I save the last days leftover and feed it to the flock. Keep it in the fridge to keep it fresh. They love it as you can tell.

  36 HOURS! ????      Struck me SOOoooo funny!

My birds usually go about six weeks.  My latest one that is about finished with them was super broody and they were filling up the space I had them in so I moved them all to a new pen.  The day she got in there her comb was still all shrivelled and she was clucking just like a broody.  It has been less than two weeks now.  Her comb has filled back out and she laid her first post-broody egg the day before yesterday.  She tolerates the chicks still so she is still with them.  Figuring out how and when and where to recombine adult fowl is trying, to say the least.  

They're 30 days?  If the chicks are leaving, you could send them any time.  They will be fine without her and she will go on and perhaps mother the older ones.

Regarding that young cockerel, if you don't especially want to keep him, I'd say get rid of him.  I doubt he is "mating" the other chicks even though it looks like it and this behavior will stunt the other chicks as well because of the stress involved with such an aggressive boy.
You beat me to it.  

Thanks or sharing your experience with your broody.

Ok so the Fifteen 9 week old chicks from our incubation are already integrated with their adult/parent flock. The broody mama and her three chicks are in the enclosed run seperated from everyone else. The young cockerel I spoke of is one of the 9 week olds and is only mounting his same age flock mates. He steers clear of the adult hens, and trust me I know mating when I see it and he is mating or at least attempting and going through all the processes. He grabs the back of their heads and then jumps up on their backs and wiggles his butt down while pulling up on her head. So we have made the decision that we will cull him soon as we never intended to keep any of the boys from our hatch and such.

...

I can't keep roosters but if I could I would call him as he would cause unnecessary stress in your flock and his traits may get get passed on...[/]
Thanks for the feedback.

Just a thought I had a roo who was very eager and aggressive.  I introduced him to the Queen (Brady) She taught him some manners QUICK! he never approached another Lady like that again. Sometimes the older ladies in the flock will straighten out a young roo in ways a human never could. So if you want to try to keep him separate him for now let him see but not touch the other birds when he gets big enough introduce him to your flock. See if he can learn some manners from the wiser ladies.

thanks for your feedback.