Broody Nora - she's driving us all mad! Advice & experience please.

[Doodle2U]

This broody hen (Nora) is getting on my nerves now!

She's arsey & aggressive and had a right go at the dog this morning - he was just strolling past FGS!

I have to keep lifting her out of the nesting section of the Cube because the other two can't get in!

Yesterday, I dragged her out about three times - she poked around for a bit but I feel sure she didn't take in enough water and it was a red hot day.

If I block the nest box off, the other two are stuffed and any way, when I did try it, she just sat on the bars right next to the entry to the box.

Is there anything I can do to speed this up so she gets back to normal?

Say "Watch it, bitch" and rattle a tub of bisto at her.

See, thing is IANH - we tried that!

on the omlet site people ar etalking about putting them in a broody cage within the run, ie a cat box, I think it is basically to annoy them so much that they snap out of it.

She literally needs to cool off. You can put ice cubes in the nest box (not much fun for the other layers), dunk her in a bucket of cold water or put her in a wire pet carrier-type basket for a couple of days, known in the trade as a 'sin bin'. Or put up with it! Can you make another makeshift nestbox for the others to use?

EB - not had a minute to look at Omlet site, hence, fast and furious posting on here - I'll have a proper look later tonight.

Right, I can dunk her! I have a pet carrier (actually, i have two!), so will try and split her off from the nest box now and then let her go back up to it tonight??? (for sleep - or should I just leave her in the pet carrier?)

Right - put some straw (usual nest box material) into the cat carrier and shoved Nora in it. Added a dish of food and water. Put the whole lot into the Cube in the roosting bar area (the deisgn of the Cube is supposed to be cool in summer and warm in winter. It's bloody hot here today, so thought she'd be safer in the 'cool' of the cube).

Will dunk her in cold water later - daren't do it now cos we have to go out and I know I'll get a soaking.

Will report back.

Blimey-glad I'm not a chicken given how often I feel broody.The thought of someone dunking me in cold water or making me sleep on ice......brrrrrr
You rotten lot!

Right whoosh, your broody problem can be solved. Get yourself over to my gaff and we'll dunk you in the wheelie bin filled with ice water.

(I think some famous marathon runner actually does that, after a race IIRC)

You are too kind....but if you think I am coming anywhere near you torturing lot,forget it.

Poor,poor chooks

Well, so far, so good.

I've been in and out all afternoon but DH has been here for the duration and he says he's not heard a peek out of her.

One of the other two has been in the nesting box and laid an egg, so they both must be relieved that they can come and go without Nasty Nora having a go at them!

Dunking shortly (when I've got me bottle up to go and actually do it - hope she doesn't croak of heart failure ).

Better go and have a look see at the Omlet site as well.

Right, well I'm obviously talking to meself on here now but for the sake of continuity.....I bottled out of dunking her in the bucket of cold water!

Anyway, she slept with the others last night and this morning, I stuffed her back in the cat carrier with her own food & drink. She barely murmered. I think she likes having her own apartment!

ah! thats a good idea doodle, re the cat box within the cube... hadnt thought of that. might do that for a makeshift nesting box for the other ladies coz broody Peg is sitting on a bunch of ebay silkie eggs in the cube nesting box ! NO idea if any of them will hatch, or what we'll do then, she can hardly keep the chicks in there, can she?

mines quite gentle in her broodyness mind [showoff]

well ive just gone and shifted the cheapy 'broody ark' that was summarily dismissed by Peg as a Good Place To Sit into the extended cube run and stuffed the indoory bit with straw so the others have a place to lay in. not that they couldnt conceivably fit into the cube box next to Peg, but no idea of shes letting them... need someone to help me lift her in a bit and remove any of the new eggs coz theres no point sitting on them.

thanks doodle for the idea.

Hiya Ruffle - well, I hope you have more luck than me.

Nora is still broody and being a pain and I even did the dunking in cold water - she just let me do it, no squarking or flapping. After a minute, I let her go, she shook herself off and legged it back to the nest.

My main concern is that she isn't getting enough food and water. Am spending the day out there today, so gonna fetch her out and then close off the Cube/run so she HAS to wander around, hopefully, drinking and eating.

yeah, after you mentioned that i thought of that too. and so ive put a little drinker in the cube next to her now, so she can get a drink when she needs it. have also been hand feeding her some of the 'treats' i take out at herding into the run time, which she seems to appreciate.

fwiw, i almost 'cured' my Peg accidentally by trying to move her and her eggs to a new (cheapy small) broody ark. she was NOT happy about it so i let her out after an hour or two and she spent the rest of the day out and about. was back in the nest by next morn tho.

Well I just popped a bit of food and water in the cat carrier Ruffle but not convinced she's partaking.

Just been down to give the Cube a much needed good scrub and clean and she went ballistic. I've let her go back to the nesting box for now - just for some peace and quiet (the neighbours are getting twitchy!)

Will hand feed her some cut up grapes later - think that's a good idea Ruffle, cheers.

She's still broody. [pissed off with this emoticon!]

Doodle2U, I have the same problem with
Mrs. Moo at the moment who goes broody at the drop of a hat, she is still laying though so that's something.

I've been trying the dunking bottom in cold water technique which has worked in past but seeming to have no effect now...apart from making her even more grumpy.

Just one point from my internet searchings on the subject....I think you may have made the pet carrier solution too cosy. The aim is to get air circulating under her so she cools down. The broody cages I've seen recommended are wire mesh bottomed. and then you prop them up on bricks so air gets underneath, your's looks like a cosy permanent nest-box for one! I guess if you just want to wait it out and let the others get in to lay it's fine though!

aw doodle.

mines still broody too, but thats a good thing for us. [fingers crossed.]