how do you get a broody chicken to eat

grumpydad · « **on:** September 12, 2009, 21:03 »

we now have a broody chicken, lost a bit of colour in her comb, keeps trying to sit in an empty nest box, fluffs herself up and becomes a turkey when you try to get her out.
have blocked the coop to her, but she is free in the garden, but tonight had a virtually empty crop, just not eating, despite being offered what she would normally wolf down.

any suggestions greatfully recieved.

martyn

kitkat · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2009, 21:08 »

Hi Martyn, broodies eh

. I would say if you've blocked her getting in to the coop she should come out of it eventually and keep an eye on her. Worry if it goes on too long

Kate and her Ducks · « **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2009, 21:10 »

I just kept throwing mine off twice a day and she would eat a bit then before heading back but I was letting mine sit on eggs. If you are trying to break her of being broody then you need to shut her out of the nest box during the day apparently (didn't work for me, that's how I ended up letting her sit!). I have heard that the best way of breaking them is to actually lock them in a cage (no comforts and just water) for 2 days and then let them get on with it. No expert though as I lost my battle with my broody!

grumpydad · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2009, 21:34 »

we dont let her in the coop, shut the pop hole when they (3) are out, and shut her in a seperate run for a while, when the other 2 want to lay, its just that even with food available she doesnt seem to want to eat, worrying, as that is what the other 3 we lost started to do, not eat, so my wife is getting worried that she is starting to come down with whatever they had.

do i give her antibiotics just in case.....who in their right mind would have chucks....

martyn

kitkat · « **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2009, 21:47 »

Sorry Martyn, i see why you're worried now, is there any way you can isolate her with food to monitor what she eats? I'd try cat food and allsorts to try and tempt her. Hope shes just broody though.

NigelB · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2009, 21:49 »

Quote from: grumpydad on September 12, 2009, 21:34

we dont let her in the coop, shut the pop hole when they (3) are out, and shut her in a seperate run for a while, when the other 2 want to lay, its just that even with food available she doesnt seem to want to eat, worrying, as that is what the other 3 we lost started to do, not eat, so my wife is getting worried that she is starting to come down with whatever they had.

do i give her antibiotics just in case.....who in their right mind would have chucks....

martyn

Oh heck no.. Antibiotics should only be used as a last resort, in my opinion.
Chickens get broody, they always have, they always will. They are not 'ill' as such, just 'hormonally driven', for want of better words...... Much like my missus at certain times..

.. (Nigel dons a tin hat and prays she doesn't appear and read this over his shoulder ....)

What I do is just make sure I collect the eggs from under her twice a day, so there's nothing to sit on for a lot of the time, and they seem to come around after a week or two... It's no biggie really...

grumpydad · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2009, 22:13 »

well she is not laying, so the egg thing is not an issue.
when we have isolated her in the seperate run, we have given her water and mixed corn, which she manages to tip up, and also a full fresh corn on the cob, which she ignores, she eats virtually nothing, her crop was about golf ball size tonight, her sister wyandotte is about tennis ball size.

martyn

Kate and her Ducks · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2009, 22:15 »

Have you checked her over for mites, lice etc?

And has she been wormed recently?

Sorry, obviopusly I don't really know but just trying to think of things that might be making her under the weather.

chickenlady · « **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2009, 22:28 »

If she wants to sit in the nest box and fluffs herself up when you try to move her she is broody!
my broody girl would not come out of the nest box on her own to eat,drink or do a poop (i wanted to keep her broody though as i had eggs to give her) i lifted her out twice a day and just put down corn for her as i knew she would eat that. she would only spend a few minutes eating till she wanted back on her eggs. she is now moulting bless her and she has little chicks to look after, so am giving her lots of protein, corn and poultry spice.
i wouldnt give antibiotics unless she actually has signs of illness!
If you dont want her broody you could shut her in a dog cage with food and water which will break her broodiness or dunk her bum in a bucket of water! that would work too

good luck

Debbie

NigelB · « **Reply #9 on:** September 13, 2009, 10:45 »

Quote from: chickenlady on September 12, 2009, 22:28

If she wants to sit in the nest box and fluffs herself up when you try to move her she is broody!
........................................................SNIP......................................or dunk her bum in a bucket of water! that would work too

good luck

Debbie

No............ Really?

Not that I would.... But, does that really work?

It would for me ....

snowflake · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2009, 10:58 »

A broody will lose the red colour in its comb as this is a general sign of egg laying.
Do treat her for lice and mites broodys are a sitting target for the little devils.
My broodys ( silkies) I leave to get on with it eggs or not. They know when they need to eat, drink and poo,
I have tried in the past to break them but the stress to me and the hen its not worth it. Let mother nature take its course IMHO.

chickenlady · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2009, 12:06 »

Quote from: NigelB on September 13, 2009, 10:45

Quote from: chickenlady on September 12, 2009, 22:28
If she wants to sit in the nest box and fluffs herself up when you try to move her she is broody!
........................................................SNIP......................................or dunk her bum in a bucket of water! that would work too

good luck

Debbie

No............ Really?
Not that I would.... But, does that really work?
It would for me ....

apparently yes it does work! it cools the undercarraige

so brings the hen out of it! would need to do it for a few days though and still turf her out of the nest!
Debbie

NigelB · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2009, 09:07 »

Quote from: chickenlady on September 13, 2009, 12:06

Quote from: NigelB on September 13, 2009, 10:45
Quote from: chickenlady on September 12, 2009, 22:28
If she wants to sit in the nest box and fluffs herself up when you try to move her she is broody!
........................................................SNIP......................................or dunk her bum in a bucket of water! that would work too

good luck

Debbie

No............ Really?
Not that I would.... But, does that really work?
It would for me ....

apparently yes it does work! it cools the undercarraige so brings the hen out of it! would need to do it for a few days though and still turf her out of the nest!
Debbie

Too funny!
Poor wee chicken, being cured of broodiness by being turned into a duck and made to sit in a puddle!...

Makes you (well, me anyway) wonder how, these things come to be.....

I mean who (in their right mind) would try chicken-dunking in the first place?.... Where was his/her head at?

Nig.

LittleRedHen · « **Reply #13 on:** September 14, 2009, 12:02 »

After six weeks of frustration, we let our broody hatch out a clutch of eggs. I ended up putting food and water within her reach of the nest.

That's the only way I coud get her to eat. I truly don't know how she survived those first six weeks when she didn't eat at all. I wish you better success than what I had!

Broody chicken Started by matron on The Hen House	3 Replies 1579 Views	July 18, 2008, 12:02 by upthetump
is my chicken broody or ill Started by atwickwitch on The Hen House	16 Replies 4801 Views	December 14, 2012, 10:41 by JamesFarmFood
broody chicken Started by kelsgirlsx on The Hen House	11 Replies 3292 Views	May 27, 2009, 10:57 by joyfull
help re broody chicken Started by abd1964 on The Hen House	2 Replies 1094 Views	June 30, 2009, 20:14 by abd1964

how do you get a broody chicken to eat

grumpydad

how do you get a broody chicken to eat

kitkat

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

Kate and her Ducks

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

grumpydad

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

kitkat

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

NigelB

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

grumpydad

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

Kate and her Ducks

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

chickenlady

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

NigelB

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

snowflake

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

chickenlady

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

NigelB

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

LittleRedHen

Re: how do you get a broody chicken to eat

Similar Topics

Broody chicken

is my chicken broody or ill

broody chicken

help re broody chicken