The Poultry Keeper

tammy68

We have a lovely big poultry shed that I bought from a lady giving up about 5 years ago. There is a wooden cage built onto the back of the house about 6 feet or more from the ground. What could this be for? It is open to the elements so surely not to put a chicken in? Any ideas? It is a proper poultry house as it has roosting things and cubicles to lay the eggs (although they lay them anywhere but in these cubicles).

Sedgewort Bramble · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:54 pm Post subject:

How big is the 'cage thing'??

tammy68 · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 2:02 pm Post subject:

It's about a foot high, 2 1/2 feet long and 9 inches or maybe a bit more deep. It is just a wooden cage but why would there be one so high up and exposed?

Barny_Velder · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 164 Location: North Wales Coast

May be somewhere to "break" a broody?

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1851 Location: norfolk

My thoughts too Barny_Velder.

Gilly C · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 2495 Location: South Cumbria

Me 3

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3247 Location: Monmouthshire

If it has a slatted floor, that is exactly what it is. You don't know how lucky you are to have one......yet.

tammy68 · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject:

So, if I get a broody hen, I put her in there? Isn't that a bit cruel? She could get rained on. How long do they go in for? Is it an old fashioned idea?

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1851 Location: norfolk

The idea is to keep her cool around the nether regions as this will encourage her to un-broody quickly and go back to laying eggs and no, it's not cruel; in the wild, a bird will often lose her clutch of eggs and have to go through rapid un-broodyfication.

tammy68 · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:48 pm Post subject:

How quickly do they become unbroody with this method? Wouldn't it risk making her ill if she got rained on?

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1851 Location: norfolk

You'll probably be able to find out soon how long it takes Wink

but it will be a shorter time in there than leaving her to her own devices. You can put a board over the top to stop her getting rained on.

tammy68 · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject:

I have had broodies before, but just left them to their own devices, except to get them to come in at night. I have had a bit of a game with the odd one when she doesn't want to move. I didn't know what else to do with them. Then just put her back in with others at night?

Gilly C · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 2495 Location: South Cumbria

when they are broody they have a slightly raised temperature so cooling them down does the trick Very Happy

also if they are a bit uncomfortable they will walk around instead of sitting all fluffed up

tammy68 · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:28 pm Post subject:

So, in other words they should be grateful as they will feel cooler quicker. I have noticed that their combs seem redder when broody - may be imagining it though.

Gilly C · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 2495 Location: South Cumbria

not sure about that I have Silkies Wink