The Dinosaurs in my Back Garden

[stripeddonkey]

There's nothing so stubborn as a chicken, especially a determined one with raging hormones

Hope they snap out of it soon, but in the meantime enjoy the realisation that you have no control whatsoever over them

[stripeddonkey]

Hamble in fifth week of broodiness. Has now been joined by my cute cuddly 'baby bird' Matilda. That leaves Florence - of crowing fame. Florence is somehow managing to lay in the nest box Hamble usually occupies. When I get home from work Hamble is on the egg and it is very roasty toasty indeed. Managed to get all the girls out for a couple of hours Sat and Sun. I feel so sorry for Flo. She is mostly on her todd in the run while the other two are in a wee reverie sitting on their nests.

[stripeddonkey]

Well that is Hamble now been broody - and I mean full-on hormonal - for six weeks. Little Matilda is now in week three. I tries an interesting experiment at the weekend. I propped open the lid of the nest boxes so Hamble and Matilda were open to the world. Only when I was in the garden of course. I lifted both girls out to spend some time with Florence in the garden. Hamble wandered back to her nest after 20 mins closely followed by Matilda. Although Hamble settled down and looked out from her new view, Matilda was less enamoured and came back out for a while. She continued to go in and back out a couple of times. I wonder if I do this more often I will dissuade the girls from sitting on their nests. Worth a try.

[kitla]

Our Misspiggy has finally given up after 6 weeks, I thought she was losing interest so I got her off her nest more often over the weekend and took away Eggbert the plastic egg that she was sitting on. Perhaps Matilda is not fully committed, and hopefully by now Hamble might be distractable with a bit of wormy digging!

[stripeddonkey]

I am getting quite anxious about this broody malarky. Hamble is as broody as ever and we are in week 6. I am so tempted to get a couple of new chicks and let her mother them. I would but him indoors dead against the idea as he doesn't think he could cope well with us having to give them up if they were boys - we are suburban so can't keep cockerels. My hubby is a real softy, even more than me at times - which I love. I'm not too happy about it either but I would do it. Have any of you tried this?

Matilda is still broody two - week 3 - but I think I could distract her easier if Hamble wasn't broody too.

[HilierWard]

hi there

Try not to worry, it is normal for them.

I have a Speckledy who goes broody for 9-10 weeks - every year without fail . Its like she goes into a trance.

It usually starts sometime around now...

As long as she eats and drinks when you turf her off, she will be fine. And then "with the flick of a switch" - its all over

[stripeddonkey]

hi there

Try not to worry, it is normal for them.

I have a Speckledy who goes broody for 9-10 weeks - every year without fail . Its like she goes into a trance.

It usually starts sometime around now...

As long as she eats and drinks when you turf her off, she will be fine. And then "with the flick of a switch" - its all over

Thanks for this. Good to know it's normal, although ten weeks, keepers!!!

[kitla]

I am getting quite anxious about this broody malarky. Hamble is as broody as ever and we are in week 6. I am so tempted to get a couple of new chicks and let her mother them. I would but him indoors dead against the idea as he doesn't think he could cope well with us having to give them up if they were boys - we are suburban so can't keep cockerels. My hubby is a real softy, even more than me at times - which I love. I'm not too happy about it either but I would do it. Have any of you tried .

If you wanted them to have chicks wouldnt you be better to get some hatching eggs & do the whole thing? They take 21 days to hatch though so maybe not this time. You can get auto-sexing breeds like legbars, so you might find day old female chicks, but what if Hamble didnt accept them?! I've weakened and let them hatch a few about 4 times, it was a lovely thing to do but I had to work hard & travel far to rehome the boys. Also chose breeds most likely to produce friendly boys!
By the way I also have a silly old hen (one eyed Bonny) who usually goes broody for 8-10 weeks each summer, though it hasnt happened yet.

[stripeddonkey]

I am getting quite anxious about this broody malarky. Hamble is as broody as ever and we are in week 6. I am so tempted to get a couple of new chicks and let her mother them. I would but him indoors dead against the idea as he doesn't think he could cope well with us having to give them up if they were boys - we are suburban so can't keep cockerels. My hubby is a real softy, even more than me at times - which I love. I'm not too happy about it either but I would do it. Have any of you tried .

If you wanted them to have chicks wouldnt you be better to get some hatching eggs & do the whole thing? They take 21 days to hatch though so maybe not this time. You can get auto-sexing breeds like legbars, so you might find day old female chicks, but what if Hamble didnt accept them?! I've weakened and let them hatch a few about 4 times, it was a lovely thing to do but I had to work hard & travel far to rehome the boys. Also chose breeds most likely to produce friendly boys!
By the way I also have a silly old hen (one eyed Bonny) who usually goes broody for 8-10 weeks each summer, though it hasnt happened yet.

Yes, if I was planning to go down the breeding route I would most definitely buy fertilised eggs and let my girls do the necessary. It's too late to do that with Hamble now though since she has already been on the nest for six and a half weeks. Chicks seemed like an option. Realistically I know I'll just have to sit it out. The broody girls do look happy in their trances on the nest. It's me that's fretting

[bikesandbirdsbob]

A question . why do we fret . The girls are only doing what nature calls for. As long as food and water is available and clean nest heaven. I think mainly people try to get them off the nest so as they get to laying aggs again quicker .
Also want them back in the garden.
Don't worry it al sorts itself out in the end.
bob

[KarenE]

Let nature take its course. As long as she's eating and drinking, she'll snap out of it eventually. Maybe as Kitty says see if she is distractable, she might be more inclined to snap out of it. My Dory Grey has a few times looked inclined to go broody, but then is distracted by mealworms or something and then seems to forget all about her egg - maybe I'm lucky that she has a very short attention span!

[stripeddonkey]

I've had plenty of time in the garden this weekend. The weather has been changeable and particularly windy which the girls don't like. Still, I managed to get them out a few times and more importantly get the two broodies off their nests. Hamble now seven weeks broody. Matilda 3 or is it 4, I'm losing count. I think if Hamble would stop, Matilda might too as she seems easier to distract. Florence meanwhile, is getting about her chickenly business and chases the broodies, Hamble in particular, if they get too frenetic. Florence is still crowing in the mornings. Not as full on as a cockerel but definitely a crowing sound. She is still laying five eggs per week though. I had a new floor put on the run as the original marine ply started separating. It shouldn't have so may well have been defective. All nice and tidy again.

[stripeddonkey]

All is normal at chez chicken house Elderslie. Hamble broody, Matilda broody, Florence getting on with chickenly business. I do miss all three leaping out the run when I let them into the garden. Instead portly Florence hops down and waddles into the garden and I have to lift Hamble and Matilda and deposit them somewhere that will stimulate them and usually in front of some grain, cat food or corn cobs. The weather here in the West of Scotland has been rubbish. Cool, cloudy and rainy. It almost feels like the broody girls have missed the summer (it was nice in May). Hopefully it'll pick up. The broody girls are inclined to spend longer out the nest if there's some sun to be had. I'm having my annual friends and family BBQ on Sat. Weather looks to be light cloud, light winds and 15 degrees. I'll gladly take that as today it is raining The girls will have lots of visitors on Saturday. Must clean their bloomers.

[Cheshire Chick]

Glad that things are OK with you and your girls, albeit still broody!! Hope that the weather is nice for your BBQ on Saturday. Hoping for a nice weekend here in Cheshire to as it's been pretty mixed so far, chilly and rainy and yet today it is sunny and fairly warm (no two days are the same at the moment). Enjoy your weekend.

[stripeddonkey]

Glad that things are OK with you and your girls, albeit still broody!! Hope that the weather is nice for your BBQ on Saturday. Hoping for a nice weekend here in Cheshire to as it's been pretty mixed so far, chilly and rainy and yet today it is sunny and fairly warm (no two days are the same at the moment). Enjoy your weekend.