HELP! Broody Pekin Bantam

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HELP! Broody Pekin Bantam

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Clara

Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 268
Location: the green green grass of wales

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 4:56 pm Post subject: HELP! Broody Pekin Bantam
This is a first for me, she has been sat on her egg all day and given me and DD a peck when we've been into her. What am I to do? I don't have any other housing at the mo, but I feel it's best to act on it quickly. FYI I only have one other chicken and no cockeral.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 4:59 pm Post subject:
Keep chucking her off and taking the eggs away - shut them out of the house if you can. It'll take a few days. Or give her some eggs and let her get on with it .

Clara

Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 268
Location: the green green grass of wales

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 6:39 pm Post subject:
oh god now you're giving me ideas....though if I got some eggs (which poses more questions - where, what, how, WHY?) wouldn't I have to rehouse the other chicken. They share a next box, actually it's a rabbit hutch and at the mo they sleep in the nest box to due to perch modification failiure (yes I know I know...)

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 6:48 pm Post subject:
Well, you might find that they co-habit okay, if you can persuade the one that's not broody to lay somewhere else, despite the PMF. With my SENSIBLE hat on, I'd say, kick her off and now and wait until the spring. As a pekin, she will go broody at least another four times between now and March, so you'll have plenty of time; and it's less hassle to have the chicks in warm weather.

pookie

Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 4984
Location: Mid-Wales

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 7:09 pm Post subject:

Chez wrote:

With my SENSIBLE hat on

that'll be the blue one then......

I would agree though, tempting as it is, by the time they hatched it would be getting pretty chilly

Clara

Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 268
Location: the green green grass of wales

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 8:30 pm Post subject:

pookie wrote:

Chez wrote:

With my SENSIBLE hat on

that'll be the blue one then......

Yes I was wondering about chilly chicks - especially as out housing will require further modification to deal with what is now apparently a normal winter around here (someone turned the thermostat down between me going to spain and coming back).

Which leads me on to more questions - whilst I have wise birds in my grasp....what kind of insulation will I need on my hutch to get through the winter?

pookie

Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 4984
Location: Mid-Wales

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 8:40 pm Post subject:
We didn't use anything extra last winter! and it was the coldest, most prolonged icy winter I've ever known. (several weeks of it, pretty extreme temperatures, and many days never going above zero even at midday) I think they manage the cold, it is keeping them dry and draught-free, (but well-ventilated) that matters.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 8:47 pm Post subject:
Yep, what Pooks says. Although pekins are hysterical in the snow - they really hate getting their socks wet

Clara

Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 268
Location: the green green grass of wales

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 9:29 pm Post subject:

pookie wrote:

We didn't use anything extra last winter! and it was the coldest, most prolonged icy winter I've ever known. (several weeks of it, pretty extreme temperatures, and many days never going above zero even at midday)

Oh yes I know I was (and still am) in mid-wales too - with only an open fire for heating....and two small kids who'd only ever known winter in southern spain. Luckily this year we'll be warmer but I do worry about the chooks. As it's a rabbit hutch it's quite open (mesh) at the front. So I was thinking of banging on some ply and leaving enough for ventilation but keeping the wind and the horizontal rain/hail/snow out. I was thinking about insulation the roof as well - you don't think it's necessary?

They are precious about their feet aren't they? Can't wait to see what they make of snow!

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 11 9:41 pm Post subject:
With my rabbit hutches I bang a bit of ply over the wire at the front but leave a two-ish inch gap at the top. I wouldn't insulate the roof; but if you can turn it so that it's out of the prevailing wind they'd appreciate it. Mine jump from bush to bush in the garden to avoid the snow.

Clara

Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 268
Location: the green green grass of wales

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 11 7:04 am Post subject:
Thank you ma'am

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