Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: kirstie1978 on April 25, 2011, 18:12
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My silkie bantam chicken has spent most of the afternoon in the coop and is very reluctant to come out when called or for corn. I k ow it's been warm the past few days, could that be the cause? My other Orpington bantam is black and fine and spending her time on her own around the garden. Any suggestions? Should I leave her outside tonight or bring her in?? Help!!! I don't want to loose the last of my hand reared chicks
Thanks
Kirstie
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I am having same problem with Welsummer, she is just lying around. Syringed some water into her but nothing changed :(
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I feel so helpless. Have text the vet but not heard back as think he might be away. She had a potter as I picked her up out of the coop as thought the cool breeze might help. She just fluffed herself right up had a small nibble and drink then went straight back upstairs. Argh! What to do. Fingers crossed for us both. Any advice welcome!!
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kirstie shes possibly broody, silkies are experts on being broody lol
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Hi Kirstie, it sounds like she is broody, so don't worry ;)
Silkies are notorious for going broody, so you might as well be prepared.
have a read of this (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=71657.0) thread, and it might answer some of your questions :)
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Her crop isn't as full as usual so that's my concern! She's making different noises too and fluffed out in the corner of the coop at the back instead of her usual at the front nothings coming up the stairs position!! She's only recently started laying so I will have a read and go from there! Thanks for the replies, I feel alot calmer now...although the cats jut been sick all over me!! Animals eh?!!
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No, broody hens only eat approxiately 1/5 of thier normal food. Broody hens can lose a lot of weight without us realising it, because you can't see under their feathers!
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I read the info on it and yes she sounds broody!!! So relieved! There's no nest box in the coop and she's allowing the other female in so that's ok. Will try work out what to and how to do it! I'm going away for a few days and my friend is house sitting so not sure but think will leave it until I'm back! Poor girl has enough to deal with with the other animals!!
Thanks soooooooooooooooo much!!! Happy now!
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just read your posts and have similar trouble with one of ours, she is deffinately broody. it;s been useful reading your posts thanks.
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Definitely sounds broody to me. :lol:
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I now have 5 out of 6 broody >:( not impressed with the little madams!
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Sounds broody to me as well, is she rosey away when you try to touch her and is spreading herself out where she is sitting?
Put a couple of golf balls in front of her, see if she pulls them under her...
My Hampshire red bantam has just gone broody again...reared her brood, lays 6 eggs and then back to broody again >:(
so i've put some Polish Bantams eggs under her...problem is the last clutch she sat on, all were Boys... :(
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Is it normal that she won't lay every day when broody? Just she hasn't laid in 2 days and that's not like her! I don't have any golf balls but have some arriving tomorrow to try! Thanks
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No, they don't lay when broody, and sometimes not for weeks after either (remember, they think they are sitting on eggs, and then need time (approx 6-8 weeks) after ro raise the chicks.
Why do you want her to sit on golf balls? If you don't want to hatch any chicks you need to discourage the broodiness, not encourage it ;)
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Thanks. Nice to know I'm not loosing my marbles, only eggs! Trying to get her out of it but difficult as I have a house sitter for a week soon and so will have to attempt the following if she's not snapped out if it by then!
Thanks once again I can rest easy! :o)
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If possible please ensure your house sitter your broody girl off her nest at least once a day. Hopefully your house sitter is a brave person because a broody can go from looking like a pancake to a football and will chose to have fight with a feather. However just remember r this is a chicken and it cannot do you any real harm ...you will not be hospitalised. The broody needs to move off the nest to eat and drink and er hum as well. The can starve themselves to death.
Orchard lady
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I will make sure she does, she should be fine! Luckily no aggression only reluctance, but might be because it's me and I hand reared her from day 1. The only evidence is my other female starts the night off upstairs and ends up asleep downstairs in the morning! Bless her! Just pleased it's nothing tooo awful and something I'll get used to! Thanks so much for your support makes my hospital trip slightly less daunting!!