Broody too

[CandJ]

A common complaint, it seems.

We've got three hens and the two bantams have gone broody. It was just Patricia, but now Doris has changed allegiances and started to copy her. We've shut them out of the house all day and let them free range in the garden but they just sit outside their door instead. So we fenced the door area of and they've found somewhere else to sit. Highly annoying. Patty's been like this for 4 weeks now(she's eatign and drinking well but not laying) and Doris has just started last week. Annoyingly she was laying before this behavious but sems to have stopped now -aaaaaargh.

All still very cute though - have just discovered a new skill too - see piccies!

[TPeers]

So cute! At least they get on. I've got three who get on and are laying and number four they are trying to kill! I've just rescued her, poor thing, they had her in a corner, three on one taking turns to hack at her.

I'd rather have a broody, you know?

Terry

[Birdie Wife]

Lovely hens! Are they Pekins? This breed are well known for broodiness, and it won't be easy to break them out of it. If you really want to do this, you have to be quite mean and put them in a cold, draughty wire box. As Pekins are quite susceptible to the cold, personally, I'd keep them broody and give them some eggs to hatch - for example if you can find some Leghorn eggs, that would be ideal - Leghorns hardly ever go broody and will lay you lots of eggs.

Sorry to hear your hens are still at loggerheads Tpeers...

[CandJ]

Yes Pekins.

We might try putting them in a separate cage in the grage this weekend - se how they like that!

Not sure about giving them eggs to hatch - we don't really want any more (3 is stresful enough).