The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: foxy on October 14, 2016, 10:11:56 am
-
I had a hen go broody earlier in the year. I used the cage method with food water for a few days and she came round and was back to her normal self for a few months. She turned broody again a few weeks ago though. I didn't have the heart to cage her again so have just left her to it, removing her from the coop when I'm there, removing any eggs that she has gathered.. She's eating and drinking ok but causing chaos in the coop by living in one of the nest boxes and keeping the other girls out.
My question. If I just leave her to it will she come out of it eventually? How long does it take? I don't have a boy and don't want any chicks so letting her brood over some eggs isn't an option. Should I intervene and cage her for her own good? She's a white hen that I adopted, no idea what breed.
-
When I had a broody hen I Blocked off the nest area every day for a week and maybe a few days past it.
I let my chickens out between 6:30 and 7 and I knew they finished laying about 7:30 so that's when I kicked her out of the coop and into the run and then I would reopen the coop when it started getting dark. They were often queuing outside by the time I reopened the coop.
She got over it eventually
-
I wouldn't leave her to sit especially if the eggs aren't fertile. She may sit tight until the eggs are rotten and also she will lose condition going into the winter.
-
I lift the eggs every day so she's not actually sitting on anything.
The girls don't finish laying until late morning by which time I'm away at work, so I can't just close the coop/nest boxes.
I was hoping to be able to avoid putting her in the cage again... caged during the day and back in the coop at night?
-
Yes, that should work. If you put the cage on four bricks so the air can get underneath, that usually helps.