[SoniaBA]

Hi all,

One of my light sussex Yolkie, was sitting in Gerties nest box (Gertie wont lay anywhere else and is more than willing to sit on anyone else in her box, this then means broken eggs) so i moved Yolkie into the one next to it thinking she needed to lay as she was the only one who hadn't. She sat in it for seven hours (she has sat for 3 hours easy just to lay an egg) so i only started chasing her after this.

I moved her out as did my hubby, but she just went back round and in (gerties box) and continued to sit. She has also pulled some feathers from her chest and is cooing. We took her out again and then shut the door so she had to eat, drink and poo.

When i first put my 5x 4 week old chicks in their new house and run next to my big girls, Yolkie sat and cooed at them and i said to my hubby that if one did go broody it would be her. (Maybe i have been looking at the signs all along)

Thing is she wasn't grumpy when i moved her to get Beth's egg she was sitting on when i first noticed her in, nor when we have moved her. She also isnt sitting on any eggs.

Is this still a broody or could it be something else?

Sonia

[evie2]

Sounds like she's broody

[SoniaBA]

Hi Evie,

Thought she was from reading through stuff on here. It was just the lack of 'telling me off for disturbing her' and the fact she has nothing under her but nesting material that got me wondering.

Bucket and cold water first port of call. In the morning tho as its been teaming down and dont want to give her a cold.

[evie2]

Our Star sat on Scotch mist for a week before we gave her eggs and Ruby when she went broody was a happy wee soul who didn't mind being picked up, in fact I put her under my arm and wandered round the garden with her to break her brood, worked a treat

[SoniaBA]

lol How long did you do that for? I do think Yolkie would be quite happy for me to shove her under my arm and carry her about. Cant get eggs for her as i have 5 x7week old(8 weeks old on thursday) chicks on the other side so dont have the room to start again just yet 

[evie2]

I wandered round for about half an hour, back garden, front garden, the neighbours are used to my eccentricities while the 24 eggs were collected and her nest which was under a blackberry hedge was destroyed.

I've not tried the dunking in cold water or the box method but it's good to know others have and they've worked.

Good luck

[themagicaltoad1]

I tried dunking mine the first time they went broody- it didn't work, if anything they seemed to enjoy it! Am I the only one with perverted chickens? Now I just let them get on with it and come out of itin their own time.

[SoniaBA]

Didnt dunk her but did wander about with her for a while. I've kept her seperate from the others most of the day so she couldnt get in the nest box.

She ate, drank, scratched about and dust bathed. I let her back in with her pals around 2 hours ago and the little cow ran straight to the nest box!! 

I took her out and put her back on the ground, she ran back round so I opened up the nest lid and kept it open. She watched me watching her and she went from perch to perch cooing and puring. She went to the door, looked out, looked at me, then back to the bars. From one to the other she went again til she reached the door again and i shoved her out and shut the door 

Tomorrow she is SOOO being dunked  Although she has amused me a tad

[SoniaBA]

Dunked her bottom in cold water this morning. Gave it a good splash and she didn't bat an eyelid!
She didnt half scream at 2 of the others when she went to go in the house and they were in a nest box each, but she remained in the dooorway
Have again carried her around a bit and had her in a seperate pen the rest of the day. Opened the gate to let her with the others and she went straight back to the nest box 
A strip of her tummy is featherless, she hasn't laid an egg in 3 days, She has pooed very little, drank and ate little too.
Have checked her vent and through her feathers, listened to her breathing, smelt her breath. Nothing. She is however a little hotter than normal.

 Any ideas for my next move?

[joyfull]

metal dog cage treatment. Just plonk her in that with layers and water - nothing else. Keep her there during the day and return her to her proper coop overnight. Do this for a few days and you should soon break her out of the habit.

[SoniaBA]

Was going to buy one today but when i checked last night the ones in pets at home they are the same ones in argos, they are for indoor use only. Will one of these do?

[evie2]

Sorry the wander round didn't work, better luck with the dog cage  

[joyfull]

here is a photo of mine:-

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=58294.0

[orchardlady]

Yep, I'm afraid it's the dog crate treatment that's needed. I have one just like Joyfulls and it does the trick perfectly. Don't worry about it being for indoor use only it's only for a few days up to a week. The main aim is to not let her get nice and comfy. Put it up on a brick at each corner and remove the plastic tray if it comes with one (which they usually do). Ensure she has a bit of shelter from the rain and hot sun, I use a bit of old ply wood as a makeshift roof.

Good luck!

Orchardlady

[SoniaBA]

No need for sorry, think she quite liked been carried aroud  She wasn't to happy when the dog sniffed her bottom tho 

Will get a crate tomorrow and see how long she can take it.

Do have ply for protection. I covered the area i put her in with it yesterday and today.  She just settled down in the nice grass after a munch on the nasturtiums! And a few bricks lying around too 

Do i need to put something else on the floor of the crate or are the gaps close enough to each other to prevent her feet getting through?