[Cabbie37]

Hi - first time poster here. Earlier this year I took on some Lavender Pekins not wanted by their previous owner. A cockerel and 4 hens. They all layed wonderfully until a few weeks ago, 1 went broody. The other 3 soon followed suit and now I'm stuck with 4 broody hens and no egg production. I did manage to get some fertilised eggs from a local owner, so as to bring some new blood into my flock and they are due to hatch in a week or so. Question is, how can I get the other three off broody? I lift them every morning and evening and put them out, but after 5 or 10 minutes, they always return to the nest.  :?

thanks for any advice - Cabbie...

[mdueal]

Why is it that when you want them broody they arent and when you want eggs they all go off at once!!
We have tried all the usual suggestions of suspended cages, locking out of nest, cooling the undercarriage with cold water/wrapped ice. Guess what... it has never worked for us. I think that unless you catch them really quickly and get them out of it before they really hunker down it doesnt work. Best to keep removing eggs, encourage them outside for as long as possible and wait it out. Maybe someone has some radical new treatment but that is just what i have found.
Welcome to the forum btw!!