[samuria]

how does the cold water trick
work
thanks

[Casey76]

It's not so much of a trick really

When a hen is broody her breast and abdomen become warmer than normal to brood the eggs. This is due to an increase in hormones. If you can cool her down, then the hormones can be "switched off"

However, I prefer to have the hen in a wire bottomed cage with airflow around her body, rather than dunking them in water, which seems a bit cruel and unnecessary, as hens are not great water lovers.

[samuria]

thanks
as i have no wire cage and have
three buff orpingtons gone broody...
i was thinking  this might be a quick fix...
or is it a bit cruel

[pepsi100]

I got a Buff Orpinton Cockerel, I think he would love these girls 

[samuria]

i had to get rid of my lovely buff orpington cockerel

blooming neighbours

[hen addict]

Yeah neighbours are a problem! Next door to me is now rented, the previous people who owned it had no issues but it's not like that now!! Even though we are semi rural, fields and farms all around us! It's really useful having a cockerel around.

[barley]

thanks
as i have no wire cage and have
three buff orpingtons gone broody...
i was thinking  this might be a quick fix...
or is it a bit cruel

I wouldn't advise dunking - its perfectly natural for hens to go broody and dunking seems a bit cruel and besides if the weather remains chilly they may get a chill which can cause you more problems

if you have no cage just try to keep them from getting in the coop

[Prod]

Buff Orpingtons can be a bit tricky to dunk into water so if you can try another way it may be better. I have 2 BO cockerels, One Eyed Billie (look up previous posting ) and Eli and, although they are huge, they are the tamest chickens ever, very docile and trusting and both let me pick them up without any fuss. I have retired Billie to a pen with Buffy, a cream legbar/BO cross with a fantastic crown that looks like a 1950's hat. I have just reared on two girls to go with Eli and they re as tame, they never run when I go to them and let me pick them up no trouble........ sorry I've hijacked the post .......

[nerdle]

I plonked my broody on a perch with the others after dark when she couldn't work out how to get back to the nest.  Sh'e back to normal.

[themagicaltoad1]

I tried dunking mine, it didn't work and they seemed to enjoy it! I now use a cat carrier with a false raised wire bottom which I put together and slipped in. They usually stop being broody within about 2-3 days of being in the box.

[joyfull]

I just let mine get on with it now (used to use a dog crate, but all four crates are being used by my dogs), at the moment I have two broodies sharing the same nest box - they are never sitting on eggs as they wont get out to allow the others to lay  - good job I have another three nest boxes for them to use 

[nerdle]

That cold wateer thing and even a crate sounds awful to me.

[pepsi100]

I just seperate them, shove the broody in a box and let her get on with it, have to chuck her out to feed/water herself and a poo

If she wants to just sit there getting in touch with her 'inner self' , staring into space and she is enjoying it, who am I am to dump her in a cold bath (I wouldnt like it, I dont suppose she would either)

But if you dont have any other nest/laying boxes I can understand why you do it, and if she is sitting on eggs, just shove a couple of plastic/china eggs under her

[barley]

how long do you find they stay broody if you leave them to it ?

when I first started keeping chooks I had one broody for 6 weeks    it started to take it's toll on her health , hence I now snap them out of it using the shove and shut out routine 

it really does work everytime 3 days max and their back to normal

[pepsi100]

Depends if I want her to hatch eggs, but I take her off the plastic eggs 3-4 times a day, let em cool down, never been on them for more than a week

If I want her to hatch eggs, I just take her off once a day, she picks how long she is off the eggs

BUT its not often I leave a hen on eggs, I prefer to hatch them my self now (at leastI know the eggs are fresh and fertile)