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Hen advice needed

• Message 1. 

  Posted by blue_rememberedhills (U4927627) on Tuesday, 14th April 2009

  We have had our bantams for a few weeks and one of them has just gone broody. She has stopped laying and keeps sneaking into the nesting box and trying to incubate eggs laid by her sister. When I remove her, she squawks and tries to peck me. Today I closed their pophole once her sister had laid her egg for the day - cue beady-eyed glaring from the broody one and much bad-tempered scratching and flouncing.
  
  A local poultry keeper advised sitting her in cold water, whch seemed a bit extreme to me. Some websites suggest 'broody coops' to cool her down.
  
  But will she just return to normal after the 3 week egg gestation period?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Pokerwork (U13940901) on Thursday, 30th April 2009

  Hi,
  
  IMO Broody coops are great. They dont need to be complicated, mine is a simple box formed from mesh. It seems a bit harsh, but the chicken cant settle easily and the air gets all around them and they cool down. After two days they get bored with the idea and tend to go back to normal....but of course keep the feed and water going.
  
  Hope this helps !
  
  

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Flakey (U13643566) on Friday, 1st May 2009

  Hiya
  
  I am not joking I promise, I live in France and a very old French farmer told me to tie a basket to the front of my pushbike and put broody girl in and take her for a ride. The air around her "nethers" should help.
  
  Flakes

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Pokerwork (U13940901) on Friday, 1st May 2009

  did it work ?

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by blue_rememberedhills (U4927627) on Saturday, 2nd May 2009

  Hmm well I may yet resort to the bicycle ride, as the broody one is still sulking and giving me the dead eye when I turf her out of the nesting box.
  
  We have just had a spell of cold wet weather and I had hoped that would do the trick, but it hasn't.

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