Washingtonians

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
I know what you mean about broody hens. It is a waste of food, though they don't seem to eat a lot when they are broody. But they are still taking up space in the coop, and not producing anything. I have about 21 birds and the best egg count I have gotten has been 12. That means that nearly half of the flock are not laying. I really need to start isolating the girls and figure out who's not laying and get rid of them. That feels really mean to say.
P.S. I made a great chicken apple salad tonight.

If I don't want them to sit, I pull them out & put them in wire cages with just a pop bottle waterer & some food--no nesting material. I check for eggs two or three times a day and just keep pulling them out. After a week or so, they will usually stop and I can put them right back in their coop. If I want them to be broody, I use the same wire cage but I get a paper box, fill it with clean hay & put it in there with eggs. That way, they are separated from everyone else and I don't have to worry about what's going to happen to the chicks when they eggs hatch, either!

 

[savingdogs]

When we tried putting our broody in a cage, she stopped being broody right away. So the next time we left her in the coop and that didn't work out either. How do you keep them happy when they are apart from all the other chickens? Mine freak out when they are alone and just worry about being alone. We haven't had a successful broody hen yet although I have some great hatching eggs all ready. Now that I have the hatching eggs of course no one is broody to try them!

I think my chickens HATE this rain.

 

[KMHunter]

Quote:
I have been going through this with my Marans and My Ameraucana. One went broody, then the other, then the first one decided to try again. right now I have only two of my 5 laying. My BO isn't broody but she isn't laying for some reason. I have blocked off my nesting boxes for a couple of days and my sex link and BR are just laying in the shavings. But the two that are broody have seemed to be getting over it. You may also have to keep taking them off the nest or seperate them if you can't block your nests off. If you don't give them a warm soft place to nest they will get over it sooner. Then if she does it again soon after, you'll have a decision to make.

Sorry

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

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Yippeeee!!!!! I am so happy for you...I hope he gave you a huge discount. Send pictures (for sure)

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

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Mine hate the rain....they also hate it when I spray them with my hose to get them out of my vegetable garden. They have stripped many of the leaves off of my Kalahrabi. brats.

 

[Jessica Rabbit]

Quote:
Thanks and congratulations to you as well!! Wish I had a broody hen rather than a bator!

eventually I hope!

 

[cheryl98117]

Quote:
Thanks and congratulations to you as well!! Wish I had a broody hen rather than a bator!

eventually I hope!

Lol I have a broody hen, but no hetching eggs!

We have the same problem just in oposites! hehe

Oh and bad/sad news... My 6 week old Buff Orpington disapeared yesterday when I was at work... I can't find that little girl for the life of me...

She is just so small, and fits through the 2x4 fencing...

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
Mine hate the rain....they also hate it when I spray them with my hose to get them out of my vegetable garden. They have stripped many of the leaves off of my Kalahrabi. brats.

LOL !
We got a device called a "Scarecrow" which we got from Yardbirds years ago, I believe they are at Home Depot but some Garden magazines have them way over priced like at $45..Ours was about $25
Anyway, screw this plastic "crow" to your garden hose, and turn on the water and set the sprinkler on it.
When the electric eye 'sees' anything it goes off and DH came in the house wet more times than I can remember.
LOL
And usually from walking right in front of it and forgetting it was on, and always squirted totally soaked right across the crotch !
This scarecrow is good for scaring cranes from your fishpond, crows and other birds from your garden or garbage...cats from the area for sure, and most dogs !
Some dogs love the water and want to play with it ! LOL
I am trapped here today while my Dad has a ultrasound proceedure to destroy a huge kidney stone the size of a large walnut that apparently he has been growing for decades.
It is too big to pass (thank god !) But has been giving him horrible back aches to the point of seeing several chiroprators and doctors and getting lots of X rays.
No one noticed until a new doc gave him a CT scan and it went high enough up to see the big stone.
And shortly thereafter he had alot of blood in the urine...bingo !
Hopefully the kidney is OK! The stone is abrasive and has rubbed a long time.
My DH is there to care and drive Dad, I am here with all our critters.
Hope he is OK !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Quote:
Mine hate the rain....they also hate it when I spray them with my hose to get them out of my vegetable garden. They have stripped many of the leaves off of my Kalahrabi. brats.

LOL !
We got a device called a "Scarecrow" which we got from Yardbirds years ago, I believe they are at Home Depot but some Garden magazines have them way over priced like at $45..Ours was about $25
Anyway, screw this plastic "crow" to your garden hose, and turn on the water and set the sprinkler on it.
When the electric eye 'sees' anything it goes off and DH came in the house wet more times than I can remember.
LOL
And usually from walking right in front of it and forgetting it was on, and always squirted totally soaked right across the crotch !
This scarecrow is good for scaring cranes from your fishpond, crows and other birds from your garden or garbage...cats from the area for sure, and most dogs !
Some dogs love the water and want to play with it ! LOL
I am trapped here today while my Dad has a ultrasound proceedure to destroy a huge kidney stone the size of a large walnut that apparently he has been growing for decades.
It is too big to pass (thank god !) But has been giving him horrible back aches to the point of seeing several chiroprators and doctors and getting lots of X rays.
No one noticed until a new doc gave him a CT scan and it went high enough up to see the big stone.
And shortly thereafter he had alot of blood in the urine...bingo !
Hopefully the kidney is OK! The stone is abrasive and has rubbed a long time.
My DH is there to care and drive Dad, I am here with all our critters.
Hope he is OK !!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay:
1. Ouch for Dad. I am soooo sorry. That is awful. Tell him to get well soon.
2. I gota have this scarecrow...it will help keep my cats out of my garden too. Plus there is the perk that a kid or hubby may get squirted too.

Way-way too funny.

 

[Chickielady]

Jesse you are bound to have alot of broodies in your lifetime, and they are a joy when you want them...but when half your flock goes broody it can be a pain in the butt !
I have heard that a bucket of cold water, hold the hens wings to her sides and dunk her bottom in, hold until she "wakes up" and release her.
This is not to get her so wet as to make her sick.
Supposed to repeat the dunking until she gets over it, about 1-2 times usually does it.
I think I saw this on Youtube.
I am going to spend the day cutting as much wire as I can to do Greg's thing of wire across the edge.

Zgoatlady I will be mailing your package Monday as DH is gone and we are supposed to leave early tomorrow to go fishing...