broody chook advice

[JackieAt]

Hi all
we have 3 chickens all healthy, eating and free range around the garden.

Our Orpington has gone broody again 2nd time in 4mths and we have made the decision to get a fertile egg for her to sit on in the hope that if she hatches a chick it might stop the cycle.
There are few ?s tho as we either hatched ours from egges or bought them as youngsters.
1 I beleive she needs somewhere seperate from the others - how long for
2 if the egg hatches do we still keep them seperate, wot food do i put down for mum?
I am concerned that she needs to get out and about without putting the egg/chick at risk.

Any advice would be big help

[lynda66]

if it helps any, they sell fertile eggs of loads of different breeds on ebay,

All matching items for sale.

dunno about keeping them separate though, but it sounds like a lovely idea letting her have some babies

[Hilary B]

It's best to keep a broody separate, because otherwise she may abandon her hatching eggs and sit on the ones the others are laying in the nest box. She doesn't actually need any 'off the nest' space most of the time, just shift her off for a few mins a day (and feed her when she is off) and if she is reliably broody, she will go back as soon as you let her. I used to use an old tea-chest for a broodybox, with detachable wire mesh across the front. Once you have a chick or so hatched, you still need to keep her away from the other adults for a few days, to protect the babies. She will still be looking after her babies for 3-4 weeks (possibly more, depends on the weather and her temperament)....

[Birdie Wife]

Hi JackieAt,

Having chicks around is really lovely but you need to plan for the possibility that they might turn out to be little boys - so your options then are to keep him (disadvantages: crowing, especially bad if you have close neighbours), rehome (very difficult most of the time) or humane dispatch (not for the faint hearted). Once you know what you'd do with the spare boy(s), then and only then would I recommend getting your broody to hatch some chicks.

There is another option which most chicken people know as the 'sin bin' - which basically means putting your broody hen in a wire cage (big enough for her to stand and stretch, not a battery cage!!) somewhere open but sheltered, so she gets cold and draughty at night, to try and snap her out of her broodiness. This might take several nights but it's to try and persuade her that it's really not a good time to be broody.

Sounds like you have a persistent mothery hen there!

[roitelet]

If you do let her hatch an egg do as suggested keep her seperate from the other hens and you will need chick crumbs for the baby. While my hens are sitting I leave a mixture of corn and layers mash out for them and once the chicks have hatched I change this to corn for Mum and chick crumbs for the babies. If you only have one chick it is not easy to buy chick crumbs in small quantities. My first 8 chicks are now on ordinary Layers pellets and the new ones, and there could be 11 will be on crumbs for about a month and then on larger food after that and I will only used 5kg of crumbs.

Best of luck

[Jardiniere]

One of my new hens has turned broody and I dont really have a sin bin for her - I just keeping turfing her off the nest box - the other two make her shove over so they can lay....how long will she be broody for?

[Birdie Wife]

Depends on the hen! Sometimes only a few days, sometimes a couple of months! What breed is she, or is she a hybrid? Breeds like Pekins and Silkies can be very persisent.

[di]

I'll prob be shot down for this post~but here goes!!I personally was let off doing it as our hen stopped being broody just in time but I was told to not only separate from the others but to also dip her bottom in bucket of cold water twice a day!!~Don't know if it works/how cruel it is?

[Birdie Wife]

Hi andi&di,
I think this is one of those occasions where it pays to be cruel, to be kind! Broody hens often lose condition and body weight, so if you aren't intending to raise any chicks then you are doing them a favour by making them uncomfortable for a short while.

[lynda66]

dip her bottom in bucket of cold water twice a day!!~Don't know if it works/how cruel it is?

hopes you don't go broody ....... in case your OH tries it on you

mind you, you could tell us if it works or not

[di]

hopes you don't go broody ....... in case your OH tries it on you

mind you, you could tell us if it works or not

"water butt" takes on a whole new meaning!!

[JackieAt]

thanks for all of this, we have tried lifting her on regular basis and putting her out into the garden, but she just keeps finding a way back in.
My concern is that last time it lasted 6/7 weeks and this time seems to be going the same way - I think she just wants to be a mum.
we do have a way of seperating her so watch this space!!!!

[JackieAt]

well we did it, broody chook - known as Big Babs now has her egg and is perfectly happy sitting keeping it very warm.
She has access to food and water and an enclosed area so she can come and go as she wants.
Any clues as to the length of time that the egg can be left uncovered? she tends to wander for 10/15mins and then goes back

[lynda66]

awwwww hope it all goes well, and you get a little girl hatching so you can keep her

[Hilary B]

10-15 mins is about right. Sounds like you have a sensible one. Some hens have to be removed for those few mins daily, and will scoot back at first opportunity.