Okay, I'm running into a serious nestbox/broody box issue and I need ideas.
Here's my setup - I have/had five nestboxes in the baby coop.
One is a large dog travel crate, with a door. My SF is broody in that one and she's not a problem. She has food and water right in front of her and I let her out once a day for her constitutional. All is fine there.
Three are large, covered kitty litter boxes. One has a broody silkie in it and she's not a problem. The meatie pullets can't fit into that one, they don't even try. The silkie is able to keep the other pullets out using nothing but her bluff. That leaves two other boxes for the non-broody pullets to use.
One is an extra large wire dog crate and that's the problem box. One of my silkies has gone broody in it. I've tried moving her at night but come the next morning she's back in the crate again. This is the only nestbox big enough for the meaties (four of em) to use.
These wire crates cost around $100 and even if I could afford another one right now, which I can't, I don't know where I'd put it in the coop. Until the first of the month, even another travel kennel would be out of the question.
If I could lock the silkie in the crate there wouldn't be a problem. I could put food and water right in front of her. I wouldn't have to worry about the meaties climbing in with her and possibly breaking her eggs. I can't lock her in though, because then the meaties wouldn't have a place to lay their eggs.
Any ideas?
Here's my setup - I have/had five nestboxes in the baby coop.
One is a large dog travel crate, with a door. My SF is broody in that one and she's not a problem. She has food and water right in front of her and I let her out once a day for her constitutional. All is fine there.
Three are large, covered kitty litter boxes. One has a broody silkie in it and she's not a problem. The meatie pullets can't fit into that one, they don't even try. The silkie is able to keep the other pullets out using nothing but her bluff. That leaves two other boxes for the non-broody pullets to use.
One is an extra large wire dog crate and that's the problem box. One of my silkies has gone broody in it. I've tried moving her at night but come the next morning she's back in the crate again. This is the only nestbox big enough for the meaties (four of em) to use.
These wire crates cost around $100 and even if I could afford another one right now, which I can't, I don't know where I'd put it in the coop. Until the first of the month, even another travel kennel would be out of the question.
If I could lock the silkie in the crate there wouldn't be a problem. I could put food and water right in front of her. I wouldn't have to worry about the meaties climbing in with her and possibly breaking her eggs. I can't lock her in though, because then the meaties wouldn't have a place to lay their eggs.
Any ideas?
