Am I soft?

ness · « **on:** February 22, 2008, 20:54 »

One of my 3 hens (mum and 2 daughters) has gone broody. I have only had the pleasure of owning them since September and Princess Snow White :roll: (a daughter) has been only been laying about a month. But yesterday and today when I got back I found her firmly embedded in the rabbit hutch (their "nest box").
Anyway I removed her and closed the rabbit hutch (which I know is the right thing to do) but I feel so sad to see her desperately trying to get back into the rabbit hutch.
Yes yes I know, its not like I'm actually separating her from her babies but I'm sure thats what she thinks.
Anyone as soft as me?

naturesparadise · « **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2008, 20:56 »

yes you are soft

you could get some crock eggs and just put them under her

ness · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2008, 21:16 »

Thought I was!

Won't she just sit on crock eggs for ever?

babe · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2008, 21:17 »

can you not get her some fertile eggys

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2008, 21:22 »

One of mine started to go broody a couple of weeks back. So I dunked her in a bucket of cold water to cool her body temperature down. It worked and by the time she had dried off and preened herself she had forgotten about being broody.

It only works if you do it very early on at the first signs of broodyness.

ness · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2008, 21:27 »

Quote from: "babe"

can you not get her some fertile eggys

Would love to but its her first time at being broody and I'm not sure it'll last.
Plus I've got to work on the oh about the whole hatching thing, my excuse is that the kids would love it!

Jellyhead · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2008, 10:36 »

Oh dear, I should ignore this posting altogether. I felt so sorry for all the broodies last year that we ended up with loads n loads of chicks :oops: I felt the same way about taking mummy off eggys, SO I DIDN'T :roll: result, lots of chicks, lot of which were cocks, broke my heart to part with them but it had to be done. I don't think it will put me off again but I might have to be strong with the quantities this year

Good luck

ness · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2008, 20:01 »

Princess Snow White was in the run for half the day to allow the other 2 girls to lay in the rabbit hutch I then shut the hutch and let her out. For the rest of the day she showed no interest in the hutch and I thought I'd cracked it. Then just before they went to bed I opened the hutch, 2 minutes later she was back in, sneeky chook! Looks like its back to anti broody duties tomorrow. :roll:
Glad to hear I'm not the only softy, Jellyhead.
May have missed the boat with dunking her, Aunty Sally, may give that a go next time.

First soft egg Started by wolverine on The Hen House	2 Replies 1217 Views	June 12, 2010, 10:06 by wolverine
Soft Egg Started by retribution on The Hen House	10 Replies 2358 Views	January 15, 2011, 09:18 by izzy
Soft every day Started by ali2 on The Hen House	8 Replies 1946 Views	September 30, 2011, 12:06 by crh75
soft egg Started by treecol on The Hen House	12 Replies 3516 Views	April 20, 2009, 09:14 by Roughlee Handled