The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: kitchen cottage on June 05, 2012, 09:41:01 pm
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My pet hen Emily has been broody for about 3 weeks but has no eggs under her! I don't keep a cockerel so its rather pointless anyway. I've tried to shut her out of the stable but she goes absolutely mental. She isnt really eating and seems very listless. She doesn't live with my other hens (they are new and attacked her >:( ) she lives in a falconry box in a stable so I can shut her in. Charlotte (my sow)is in the stable and Emily has survived the fox because she normally sleeps on Charlottes back).
I don't think she is sick though, just broody
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You need to break her from being broody, they neglect themselves and have been known to just fade away if left too long.
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you are probably right. try buying eggs through the post or from someone you know.
My light sussex has gone broody today but on only one egg and not hers! I dont know whether to let her sit or not. It does also depend on where the rest of them laid todays egg....or where they choose for tommorow!!!!
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if shes been broody for 3 weeks you need to break her from it, as fowlman says they decondition as they sit tight.
we remove ours and put them somewhere where they cannot 'sit' and put cold water on their chest to cool down. some hate it and some you need to be more persistant
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If you dont want to hatch chicks, put her in something like a metal dog crate stood on house bricks - to allow cool air to circulate underneath her. Food and water as normal. It only takes 2-3 days usually and she will be back to normal. ;D