The day before yesterday I shut all the nest boxes and the chicken shed pop hole after Spangle and Salmon had laid their eggs.
I expected the two broody girls, Smoke and Marmite, to settle in a corner of the chicken shed once I had opened the pop hole at bedtime. To my surprise both girls perched at bedtime. Hurrah! That is a good sign.
Yesterday morning I could tell that both Flame and Ebony were ready to lay. I recognise their vocal calls when they want to lay. Flame has a mournful call and Ebony has a shouting call.
I opened up both Flame’s and Ebony’s favourite nest boxes. Ebony is the only girl to favour the nest box by the gate. I must say the girls were being very cooperative. Both Flame and Ebony settled in the nest boxes straight away after I had opened them.
I expected Smoke to join Flame in the nest box but to my surprise she didn’t.
Ebony has placed a few pine shavings on herself. Great camouflage, we can hardly see her now!
When I checked back about twenty minutes later both girls had laid their egg and I closed the nest boxes. This was all going rather well.
At bedtime Smoke and Marmite were again perched up in the chicken shed. This was great news.
This morning I decided to try opening all the nest boxes and Smoke and Marmite took no notice. We are done with being broody! That’s probably the easiest I have ever broken broodiness. I think the key is to do it quickly before they have really settled into it. Hurrah.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Hurray!! xx
Slight blip. Before lunch Flame was in the nest box. After lunch I checked and Flame was dust bathing. Checked the nest box and Marmite was sitting on Flame’s egg! Closed the nest boxes again. At bedtime all were perched including Marmite. Maybe needs a bit more work but nearly there. Will closely watch tomorrow. xx
Good news.
It’s important now to get them back laying again sooner rather than later. Being at home all the time means I can watch them more closely to see if nest boxes need to be open or closed. I appreciate their eggs more than ever at the moment.
It’s so good that they’re finished. Cotton and Butterscotch seem resolute and – although there are plenty of other nest boxes – they are occupying those the other girls prefer, although we aren;t getting a lot of eggs.
That is another downside of broodies, they clog up the nest boxes and it makes the other girls more vocal when they want to lay in the favourite nest boxes. I must admit that I am really enjoying this broody free period while it lasts. We are getting between two and four eggs a day which is not bad.