Barnevelder still broody after 5 weeks...

[Taliska]

Hi all,

One of our Barnevelders has now been broody for 5 weeks. We have been lifting her out of the nest box regularly, and have always removed eggs from under her.

We thought that we'd let her be broody for 3 weeks expecting that she'd simply stop when the time was right, but it hasn't happened.

I think it is now time to 'persuade her' to stop being broody, and get herself back into shape.

What's the easiest and kindest (if it's possible) way of stopping her being broody?

Thanks,

Taliska

[Nicos]

Gosh- that's a long time!

I just keep chucking my gals out of the boxes and eventually they give up. I make a special effort to remove any eggs as soon as they are laid so as not to give them an incentive to sit.

Such a waste of time isn't it when you think how many eggs she would have laid in that time.

Oh- and hi there- welcome to the Vine!

[RichmondHens]

You will need to create a sin bin. Easiest way is either a small wire dog crate or rabbit hutch with the wooden bottom replaced with chicken wire. Either raise up on bricks on suspend from shed ceiling. The idea is to allow the air to circulate underneath and cool her down and also as it will be uncomfortable for her it will discourage her from sitting down. Keep in the cage for at least three days, might need up to a week, with food and water, and then return her to the flock. If she goes back to being broody then repeat the sin bin method.

[OverWyreGrower]

^^^ What RH said!

They will stay broody indefinitely without eggs to hatch (or a person to make them stop).... my broody who is sitting on eggs had a full week of broodiness without eggs (we were making sure she'd sit)....

[petal]

stick a couple of those freezer blocks under her, it will soon put her off.

[Taliska]

Thanks everyone!

I think that putting freezer blocks under her may be a little unkind - there are 3 nest boxes and our other hens have to lay their eggs as well.

Regarding the 'sin bin' - is it better to isolate her from the rest of the flock by putting her in a shed away from the others, or should I somehow contrive to keep her in a sin bin whilst still visible to the rest of the flock? (She appears to have slipped one down in the pecking order already - from 2 to 3).

Thanks,

Taliska

[Scarlet]

I leave mine caged outside in the run with the others and then pick the cage up and put her in the shed in the evening

[elizajay]

I used the sin bin during the day and then let her join the others at night. As soon as she went back to brooding the next day, back to the sin bin. It worked in 2-3 days.

[Taliska]

Thanks all for your advice.

Been scouring the web for a small dog cage - they all seem to have trays in the bottom... I'm guessing that it really needs to be a wire bottom, otherwise she'll just sit down and continue her broodiness.

Has anyone got a link to one that's suitable and doesn't cost the earth, as it'll only be used for 3 days (fingers crossed).

Was even contemplating building one out of wood and chicken wire...

Taliska

[elizajay]

Wire Pet Carrier | eBay

I bought mine at a PDSA charity shop

[Taliska]

That looks perfect :-) pity it's "Collect in Person" in Pontefract :-(

[petal]

Unkind is allowing a hen to slowly lose condition starve to death by not nipping its broodiness in the bud. no hen should be left sitting for 5 weeks. the cold freezer blocks will bring her temperature down- then repeatedly turf her out of nest. idea: nab a wire shopping basket- put her on that.

[OverWyreGrower]

Or ask on Freegle/Freecycle for an old dog crate.... obviously, doesn't matter if the plastic tray insert is there or not....

[Taliska]

Well the prison cell was built at the weekend, and she was duly loaded into it on Sunday. At night time I put her in with the others and put plant pots in the nest boxes to discourage them from being used. She was put back in prison each morning.

After enduring a sentence of 3 1/2 days, she was let out, and she's no longer broody.

I don't think that she's too badly out of shape, after all broodiness is perfectly natural for hens, and she was regularly fed by hand whilst sitting on my knee - which is perfectly unnatural! I'll probably miss that bit of her being broody.

We have a nice prison cell, made of some nice wood and some nice wire. I went and got some wire and some wood... then realised I'd not got sufficient wire, so I got some more... then to add insult to injury, I realised that I'd not got sufficient wood either, so got some more - probably the worst run construction project to date.

Anyway, it's got hen-head-shaped gargoyles on the bargeboards, so it's pretty - made the whole exercise worthwhile.

Thanks all,

Taliska

[petal]

nice one, won't be long til she lays lots of lovely eggs again. You were brave having a broody on your knee- i am thinking POO!!!!!!