We have a broody - a few q's

[Scarlet]

One of ours (Pepperpot) went broody last summer. Making a broody breaker and sticking her in it solved the problem within 24 hours. Much nicer to do that for one day than see her act like a complete plonker for days in end!

I agree but some chickens are not so easily swayed and by the sounds of it Mrs C is a determined little bu@@er!

[Scarlet]

Yes, she's done a good job of hiding away! I thought of cones too but we have none and I don't know where we'd get any, although the rugby club across the road might lend us a few. Parking the car there is a really good idea. The other option is to stake out the hen house and pounce if/when she comes down to feed, but we could be there for hours and then miss her. Maybe DH, DD and I should take shifts over the weekend! I don't think my 6yo DS has the sticking power...

Get a hose pipe and blast her with water? I know its sounds mean but I don't think shes very safe up there.

[MrsCordial]

No, it's not where we want her either. The crate arrives tomorrow so she won't be up the tree much longer. I hadn't considered water. As long as she comes down the tree into the garden rather than the road that would be a much simpler way of getting her down. If not, she'll just be twice as p'd off when we go in to get her!

[Scarlet]

If you soak the tree and her nest, it won't be cosy for her you'll probably cool her off at the same time but you don't want her too wet just incase she's not dry for bed.

[kathyd]

Any sugg how we attach the water? Can you get dishes designed to clip on, or do we have to rig something up? We have a pretty good hen supplies place locallyish and I'm going on Saturday.

I've just used an empty margarine carton or similar, punched holes in it and attached through the bars with wire. But if you can get a proper drinker that would be much easier I think

[Nicos]

You know what?
Getting her down would make a fantastic local newspaper article!
If you could get the local rugby team involved perhaps?

Actually, on reflection, it might be worth contacting the local fire brigade by popping into the station and explaining the problem and road risk.
I'm sure they'd be happy to 'rescue' her when they're quiet ...obviously legging it to an emergency if they get the call...

I think the road safety issue both for you and other drivers is the imoortant thing here.

[MrsCordial]

Update!

Nicos, I wish I'd read that an hour ago because we've got her now! Shame, I would have enjoyed a bunch of rugby players and firemen in the garden

The hens were making a hell of a noise so I had a look in the garden and there she was, just ambling around pecking. The daft thing allowed herself to be lured into the hen house with a weetabix and shut in. I collected FOURTEEN eggs from her nest, and fell into the road just the once None of the eggs was fertile, as we'd all assumed.

Poor Goldie is now gurgling and going frantic in the hen house and it's going to get worse for her before it gets better. The crate is due today. Between the 14 eggs today (obviously all chucked) and the 10 we found on Saturday (only two of which were edible) Goldie hasn't been earning her keep lately. I think she might become a regular visitor to The Crate

Behind bars!

[Nicos]

Lost opportunity there eh???

Glad you got her down safely...14 eggs eh?

[Scarlet]

Awww, poor little Goldie.

[Nannysally99]

So glad she's down safe, now the torture will begin lol hope she gets through ok

[MrsCordial]

Oh don't Nannysally! Our crate has arrived so now Goldie is well and truly in chicken jail:



If it's not a silly question, how do I move the crate in and out of the henhouse without Goldie rather inelegantly having her legs falling through? I don't want her to hurt herself slipping. She'll be pooing too so I'll have to move the crate around. It came with a base but I took that out, and Goldie wouldn't be amenable to hopping in and out of the crate while I do my Mrs Mop bit.

[kathyd]

Oh don't Nannysally! Our crate has arrived so now Goldie is well and truly in chicken jail:

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If it's not a silly question, how do I move the crate in and out of the henhouse without Goldie rather inelegantly having her legs falling through? I don't want her to hurt herself slipping. She'll be pooing too so I'll have to move the crate around. It came with a base but I took that out, and Goldie wouldn't be amenable to hopping in and out of the crate while I do my Mrs Mop bit.

It looks like our dog crate, so the base is flat to the floor? If so, could you slide a board or something underneath to lift it?

[MrsCordial]

Yes, I reckoned that's what we'd have to do. Really we should have got a crate with a closer mesh floor - mark that one down to inexperience.

The hens weren't convinced about going into the hen house tonight, but magic Weetbix lured them in. Weetabix 2 - 0 hens

[Scarlet]

Mrs C, can you raise the cage by placing on some house bricks and line the floor with a bit of chicken wire? Wedge a stick across so she can perch. She won't have any wear comfy to sit but it means that the cold air will cool her tummy off. I know it sounds cruel but it's much better than being off her food, and loosing condition for a few weeks.

[MrsCordial]

Brilliant suggestion about the branch - we've done that and she hopped on to it, on, off etc. We moved her out onto the grass earlier but now it's raining quite heavily so we've moved her back into the hen house, esp as we're about to go out. She's eating + drinking well but definitely needs a proper water bowl as she KEEPS knocking it over. The other hens are milling around her quite happily now, but she's still growling and making the broody noise so her sentence has a little while to run yet.