i somehow acquired 2 runaways and i have questions. please help

[pollipazzi]

now they are both in there for an hour. i hope louise doesn't catch the broody too! or maybe that would be easier to make them uncomfortable? lol! i can't imagine it's easier at all.

 

[pollipazzi]

funny how i was doing everything i could to get them to want to go in the coop and now i'm wanting them to get out! this chicken bizness doesn't make any sense

 

[RoyalChick]

how do you know if they stopped being broody or that they are still being broody in the broody cage?
and look at your lovely space and your lovely chickens

I had to laugh because lovely Tassels is a master at deception. In theory you can look for the following signs:
- She stops making broody bok-bok-bok sounds when you approach
- Her poop returns to normal (broody poop is less frequent, larger, and very smelly)
- She stands more often rather than sitting

Tassels will show all those signs so I open the door to her cage. Then she looks at me and very clearly says "SUCKER!!" and runs straight to her nest. I fall for it every single time!

You don't need to stress or deploy a broody cage. You can just let her sit until she gets bored and gives up. If you do that then I suggest you take her off the nest once a day and plop her down somewhere away from the nest so she can get out of her trance and eat a bit. If she takes herself off the nest every day, you don't even need to do that.

I have another hen that went broody with Tassels but didn't like missing out on feeding so she gave up quite quickly. Her name is Piglet - self inflicted starvation is not in her DNA!

 

[RoyalChick]

i read the article. i do not have a dog cage or enough room for one in the coop even if i did. would building a little cage that would fit right in the nesting box work with a little bit of the coop space included? (that feels so mean to even think of) with food and water of course. i could raise it up? i know it's early but i'm trying to think of something i can do if she needs me to.
will i wait and see if she comes out? or should i put some food and water in the coop for her?

i think it's hard going with 2 because if one has a problem, the other is affected somehow.

Yes I am sure that is true. And you know what that is an argument for? More chickens!!
Seriously, if you would consider that you could get some fertile eggs and put them under your broody. But you need to be sure you know what you will do with the 50% that will be male.

 

[RoyalChick]

funny how i was doing everything i could to get them to want to go in the coop and now i'm wanting them to get out! this chicken bizness doesn't make any sense

welcome to the wonderful crazy world of chickens!

 

[pollipazzi]

I had to laugh because lovely Tassels is a master at deception. In theory you can look for the following signs:
- She stops making broody bok-bok-bok sounds when you approach
- Her poop returns to normal (broody poop is less frequent, larger, and very smelly)
- She stands more often rather than sitting

Tassels will show all those signs so I open the door to her cage. Then she looks at me and very clearly says "SUCKER!!" and runs straight to her nest. I fall for it every single time!

You don't need to stress or deploy a broody cage. You can just let her sit until she gets bored and gives up. If you do that then I suggest you take her off the nest once a day and plop her down somewhere away from the nest so she can get out of her trance and eat a bit. If she takes herself off the nest every day, you don't even need to do that.

I have another hen that went broody with Tassels but didn't like missing out on feeding so she gave up quite quickly. Her name is Piglet - self inflicted starvation is not in her DNA!

too funny
that's a dirty trick, tassels!

thelma is a piglet too! omg. she would do anything for food (normally!)
she did bokbok today but not when she was in the coop. that was new!
also, will she actually let me touch her if she gets in the trance?
neither ever never ever let me touch them never mind pick them up!

 

[pollipazzi]

Yes I am sure that is true. And you know what that is an argument for? More chickens!!
Seriously, if you would consider that you could get some fertile eggs and put them under your broody. But you need to be sure you know what you will do with the 50% that will be male.

yeah i don't know what to do most times. what would i do with a bunch of roosters?

 

[pollipazzi]

louise came out! still no thelma though.

 

[pollipazzi]

she went back in! they are both in their parking spots!
so here's another question
is it ok to close the door to the run so i can be sure the neighbours cat doesn't go in there while i'm making dinner?

i did. my head hurts from worrying about them

 

[redinator]

she went back in! they are both in their parking spots!
so here's another question
is it ok to close the door to the run so i can be sure the neighbours cat doesn't go in there while i'm making dinner?

i did. my head hurts from worrying about them

I have 4 nearly 8 week old chicks that I planned on having. I can't imagine what it's like to be adopted by a pair of hens you didn't plan for.

Breathe, as I read someone else say . . .chickens have managed to survive long before we came along and inspite of our well intentioned but sometimes detrimental interference.