The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Helencus on March 17, 2011, 05:36:31 pm
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As the title says I have a broody welsummer. OH was taking eggs away until yesterday but I've told him to stop and let her have a go. So anything we should do? She's in the main coop but not being disturbed by the others. Very protective of her egg. Not sure how many she is sitting on prob only 1or 2 but I'm tempted to get hubby to pop a few more under her.
Is that a good idea? Should I do anything special for her? I've got hubby to put food and water in for her but not even sure if she's moved.
No idea what if anything we need to do so any advice folks? Wish I could go down the field and sort myself but still unable to with broken ankle :-(.
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I would take all eggs away from her, that she may be sitting on, (unless a significant number in which case i would just leave) and replace with 6-12 eggs that go in at the same time so hatch at siilar times. i would also try and move her, or at least stop other hens accessing the nest box.
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Thanks Cameron I'll get hubby to see how many she is sitting on. If only 1 we will put 6 under her. Icant move her no where to put her unless I stick her in tbe barn on her own but I've no nesting box.??
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They nest in pretty much anything, we had one that nested in an old terracotta plant pot, and another in a wheelbarrow, solon s she and the chicks will be safe, and able to put in plenty of bedding
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Hi,
you need to dust her with parasite powder and move her to a cardboard in a dog crate or a rabit huch if you dont have a broody box. she needs to be somewhere private. if you put her in the barn she could be attacked by vermin if shes not in a pen.
If you dont have anything suitable dont let her hatch her eggs in a coop with other hens as if she does hatch them she needs space and privacy to keep the babies safe when they hatch.
the chicks will need chick crumb and water in a container that they cant drown in.
Buffy
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Thanks both. I've hatched eggs a few times in the inccy so no probs once hatched just never had a broody before. The barn is the only option it's more like a stable in construction so not so bad for vermin but there are pig pens in there so I could put her in one of those. I've a plastic box I can turn on it's edge for a nest box I guess and diatom earth I can dust her and bedding with.
Tricky thing will be moving her she hisses when you try to move her and pecks quite aggressively hubby tells me.
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Another question she's been broody since Wednesday. Will she be likely to sit a clutch til hatch if we move her tomorrow and put new eggs under her?
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Yeah they do the squeeking and pecking thing, its a good sign for a broody.
lift her carefully as the eggs will be between her legs and her body so lift her only a little way up and ensure the eggs roll away from her into the nest. Put the eggs in the new nesting place and then put her in there. Unless the move has really upset her she will carefully climb onto the eggs. Make sure she has access to food and water and that rats or stoats can not get in to harm her or the eggs.
Some people lift the broodies off once a day for a leg stretch but a good broody will get off once a day for just long enough to eat, drink and go to the loo before getting back on the nest. Check her a couple of times a day but try to keep disruption to a minimum.
candle the eggs if you wish from day 10 and disguard any which are not developing. Write down the expected hatch day and sprinkle tepid water on the eggs 3 days before hatch if the humidity is low in the brooding area.
Relax and enjoy
Buffy
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Thanks Buffy brilliant advice! Wish my darn ankle was better as I have to relay to hubby and it's not his thing so will be hit and miss.. Still if she's in the barn I can wheel the chair up if I try hard :-)))
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Moving her to a new site at night will give you more chance of getting her settled in rather than going in a grump about getting back to her old nest. So get a place set up beforehand then undercover of darkness move her and hope she accepts the new site, hopefully she will if she has eggs to sit on.
And make sure there is no where else that looks nest like in the area in case she gets confussed.
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Hi,
dont worry about trying to check on her, there is not much for hubby to do. If she has done a poo then she has been out and if shes been out she will have eaten and had a drink. She will know what to do for the best.
If you are planning to let her hatch on a regular basis then it would be worth setting up a propper broody box that is easy to access and safe for the chicks. I use a small coop complete with run but a rabit hutch would do. My broody is used to the routine now and when shes thinking about going broody she stops laying in the main coop and starts calling to be let into the broody box to lay. Even if she starts to sit on a clutch of someone elses eggs in the main coop, I only have to lift her off and show her a hand full of plastic eggs and she will follow them into the broody box. They learn quicker than we do ;D
Good luck with your girl,
Buffy