Breaking the broodies

Red came through her broody spell in a week. Storm had now been broody for three and a half weeks and Snow for just coming up to three weeks. This is Storm’s third year laying and she has never been broody for more than four days before. Snow is usually also only broody for about four or five days.

I think it’s partly the warm summer but I think it’s mostly these two girls being broody together. They are keeping each other in the zone and this is despite the nest boxes being closed most of the time. I sometimes feel that Sugar’s broody spirit is manifested onto these two girls.

I thought that when we lost Sugar I wouldn’t need to use the broody crate again but I do need to because they cannot stay broody any longer.

I decided to put Storm in the broody crate over night. It only ever took a couple of nights with Sugar and I thought I would start with Storm as she has been broody the longest then move on to Snow next.

In the morning Storm had eaten the mash and pooped all over the crate.

I decided to put Snow in the crate the next night. Snow is more broody than Storm and really just splitting the pair up is probably the most important thing. I put Snow on the perch and she stayed there.

The next morning Storm was out in the run for the first time in a very long time. I think just one night may have been enough for her.

Snow was still on the perch just as I had left her and hadn’t touched the mash and there was just one poop behind the perch.

I returned Snow to the run and she was still making the broody boc boc sound. I knew she would need another night in the broody crate but I felt we were getting somewhere now.

Gold has continued to lay her eggs in the shelter and I have left her to it as it means I can keep the nest boxes closed. Each time Gold lays her egg Cloud is straight into the shelter to sit on it. Cloud is broody after laying nine eggs in two weeks.

In the shed we keep old bedding to use as sheets to protect the floor when we are decorating. I have now hung an old duvet over the front of the shelter like a curtain and secured it with a couple of logs on top. This means that as soon as Gold has laid I can remove Cloud and drop the curtain but lift the curtain when Gold is due to lay.

It’s six days since Cloud last laid. By keeping her out of the shelter I hope to stop her broody spell quickly as the only sign that she is broody is her not laying and her sitting on Gold’s eggs.

Last night I gave Snow a third night in the broody crate just to make sure that she was through being broody. I think she is at last and last night was the fifth evening that Mango and Cloud went in on their own. I really think we are finally there with these two. They now go in with the rest of the flock.

I also think that Red will come back into lay soon as she was at the grit and oyster shell yesterday. It would be great to have her eggs again.

All in all I am very pleased with the progress and it is so good to have all the girls going in before we get our new girls.

Edit

This afternoon I could tell Red wanted to lay. It’s been two weeks since she last laid. I opened both nest boxes and the chicken shed. Red soon settled in the nest box to lay her egg.

The really good thing was that neither Storm or Snow took any notice. They are definitely through their broody spell now.

Hurrah on both counts, breaking the broodies and Red laying again. Back to some slightly bigger eggs too.