[barbarella]

I recently cured my broody hen  by putting her in the sin bin, and she has been okay for the last two weeks (touch wood) so I thought I would share how I did it.

Our cuckoo maran had been broody for about two weeks and I tried keeping her out of the nest box during the day but she just brooded under a bush instead.  Then I followed the advice of a smallholder friend.  We placed a borrowed a dog cage in the corner of the run and lined the bottom with newspaper.  TOH cobbled up some roosting bars and we attached a bird feeder and drinker to the bars (I used the Glug and Grub feeders we originally had with our Eglu).  The drinker clipped on the back of the cage but we had to attach the feeder with a piece of wire. 

We then installed Harriet and kept her there for 8 days in close proximity to her sisters, covering the cage at night with an old barbecue cover.  I changed the newspaper every day, keeping the cat basket handy in case she wanted to come out, but she usually retreated to the rear of the cage and tried to climb on the drinker  .   To start with she just squatted down on the bars in the broody position looking apathetic, but as the days went on she started to stand up more and more and we could see that the treatment was working. 

On the 8th day we let her out in the morning to free range and kept her away from the coop just in case.  The next morning I held my breath when we let them out to see if she would stay in the nesting box, but yippee, she rushed out with the others.  Three days later we had a full complement of eggs, although I didn't expect her to start laying so quickly.

My brother was happy to let us store the dog cage in our garage, so now at the first sign of broodiness it will be welcoming an inmate.  Luckily my friend tells me that if you catch her quickly, a chicken will only need a day or two in the sin bin.  I will look for the change in behaviour, ie standing up before letting her out.

[GrannieAnnie]

That's what I do too, but our dog cage is borrowed from Joyfull.  She WILL get it back one day honest!!!! 

[joyfull]

hoping that next year when mine go broody again they will be sitting on fertile araucana eggs so at the moment Grannie not in any rush to have it back - unless they all go broody at the same time (15 broodies would be a bit much  )

[LittleRedHen]

Oh you are goooooood!  As you can see in my post today, this is exactly what I need to do.  I just need to find a dog cage and a reasonable husband !

[joyfull]

Have you tried looking on your local freecycle/freegle etc sites? You occasionally see them on there.

[noshed]

Blimey, reasonable husbands on freecycle. You don't get that round our way.

[joyfull]

  

[too many girls]

just checked our freecycle, nope, no reasonable husbands on there either not even a reasonable boyfriend, gutted

[joyfull]

You can have mine Rom (although you will have to wait until he's built my chicken coup stand) so does mid December sound ok with you? Saves me ordering his Christmas pressie off Santa 

[too many girls]

You can have mine Rom (although you will have to wait until he's built my chicken coup stand) so does mid December sound ok with you? Saves me ordering his Christmas pressie off Santa 

can i send him back if he's no good?
returned, one husband, reasonable condition but slightly shop soiled

[joyfull]

nope (why do you think I offered him in the first place!!  )

[too many girls]

nope (why do you think I offered him in the first place!!  )

i have rehomed cats and chooks and ducks but i'm afraid i'll have to draw the line at almost useless husbands
have you tried popping him on freecycle? 

[joyfull]

No takers I'm afraid - think it was the bit where I said comes complete with 20 scrap lorries that may have put people off