Broody breaker?

My 3rd broody in 2 months is really stubborn. We have already hatched chicks with the other two and don't have room for more so I need to break her. I have been taking her off the nest several times a day for about a week, and it's not worked. So today I'm trying something different. I don't have a wire cage, but I do have a 3'x3' brooder with a flat wooden bottom I can use. The sides are all chicken wire so plenty of airflow moving across. I put her in there today with food, water, and a roosting bar. She's pretty upset, lol. Would this box possibly work despite it not having airflow coming up through the bottom? Should I take her out to be with the flock during the day (without access to nests)? Thank you!

It might.....
...I've always thought that bottom mesh is pretty important, but this may be a good experiment on that aspect.

Do let us know how it works out.
Meanwhile you may want to think about how to put a 1x2 mesh false bottom in there,
wouldn't be too hard to do with a few scraps or wood to support it.

I don't know why that wouldn't work. Mine is a 7x8 Ft pen with a dirt floor and a large roost bar 2 ft high across. It helps having the dirt floor where they can scratch and peck. Sometimes it gets moved to fresh grass. I can put 5 in at a time, and it takes 3-5 days for mine. Sometimes I will have a stubborn one that has to go another 5 days.

HenHouse10C said:

I have been taking her off the nest several times a day for about a week, and it's not worked.

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No it won't, because you have missed the golden rule of broody breaking . It must be unable to get to the nest 24 hours a day/night. If it can get back on and you keep taking it off it won't work. It has to be zero access for the entire 3-4 days (so you need to be able to block it off at night too.). Worst I've ever had was my silkie took a week once but 9/10 times 3 days seems to be the magic number.

If you follow that rule it really doesn't matter where you put them. This is my area I just broke two broody hens in because my normal pen has chicks in it. Just a few tomato stakes and some plastic wire at the end of their run. It worked because she couldn't get to the nest box and at the end of the day that's the only thing that is really important. Where you put them is more a convenience for you thing.


Each took 3-4,days and then were fine. I just put them in there of a day, then late in the afternoon locked up the nesting box and let them back in with everyone else to have a last wander before roosting at night as normal.

Well, thanks for your replies. I kept her in there for 3 days and broke her! Now I wish she was broody again!! My lav orp rooster died the day I took her out of the broody breaker. I have fertile lav orp eggs and no way to incubate them. I was going to wait until spring to hatch some but now I feel that I should asap. I'm so sad. He was such a gentleman, and so pretty. Anyone know how to encourage a hen to go broody?

HenHouse10C said:

Well, thanks for your replies. I kept her in there for 3 days and broke her! Now I wish she was broody again!! My lav orp rooster died the day I took her out of the broody breaker. I have fertile lav orp eggs and no way to incubate them. I was going to wait until spring to hatch some but now I feel that I should asap. I'm so sad. He was such a gentleman, and so pretty. Anyone know how to encourage a hen to go broody?

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Ah Darn!! Get an incubator.