The Poultry Keeper

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1592 Location: Carmarthenshire

Unbroodying - is that a word? Anyway, on day 3 of trying to stop one of the girls being broody and wondering how long it takes. She is in a small dog cage with food and water and covered to keep the sun off, the cage is raised off the floor and is still raised when we put her in the shed at night. I feel really sorry for her and wish I didn't have to do this but I haven't any room for anymore chicks!

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1690 Location: Clawddnewydd

You could post her up to me Chris, I could do with a broody or two!! I'm hoping the lav pekins I got yesterday will go broody asap Rolling Eyes

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1592 Location: Carmarthenshire

Don't tempt me Laughing

mojo · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 2:00 pm Post subject:

here is a trick used by one of my french mates ..........put the hen to unbroody in a seperate pen with wire floor on 4 bricks and give a hot water bottle filled with cold water to sit on 3/4 days back to normal.p.s. change water regullarly

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1267 Location: Correze

Sounds like a useful trick, Mojo.

The answer to "how long" is, in my experience, "too flipping long" Laughing

I get fed up turfing the poor things off their nest boxes after a couple of weeks, and end up giving them some eggs to hatch. As long as I have a broody-coop spare, that is Wink

james419 · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 5:43 am Post subject:

Ok so do I get her some more eggs but she has been sitting for 34 days now - should she not have a rest - feel some Maran eggs coming on!

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1592 Location: Carmarthenshire

She has both food and water and no "bottom" to the cage - just the bars and on bricks. I put the tarpaulin over because it's been so hot here i felt she needed some shade. Noticed today she didn't start up her usual hissing and spitting when I went near so perhaps another day will do it - fingers crossed.

mojo · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:20 pm Post subject:

Chris .another trick is to spray with cool water in a fine mist............remove tarp that will keep her too warm use a sheet of ply .....the object is to lower body temp..............thats why winter time is not the time for most broodies to work

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1592 Location: Carmarthenshire

She got out whilst I was filling her water, straight to the big outside rather than a nestbox so hopefully she has forgotten about being broddy Very Happy

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