Herbfarmer
In the Brooder
- Apr 3, 2015
- 16
- 2
- 24
Thanks! I have so much to learn and this is a great place to help. She enters her decompression chamber later this morning.
How to Break a Broody Hen
- Thread starter Sunny Side Up
- Start date
Thanks! I have so much to learn and this is a great place to help. She enters her decompression chamber later this morning.
- Sep 13, 2013
- 536
- 55
- 111
I had two last year that I just could not get to stop being broody, finally had to take the nesting boxes out for a while and that was all that finally worked.
Herbfarmer
In the Brooder
- Apr 3, 2015
- 16
- 2
- 24
I'm going for crate time by day and blocking the nesting boxes at night. The grand experiment starts in a couple of hours - it's been raining but letting up and I'll want to be on hand to observe and make sure she's safe and comfortable - well, as comfortable as she can be in her current state.
I'm thinking about adding raspberry leaves and red clover blossoms to their diet as a preventative as soon as they come in. From reading this thread and having 3 BO's, I'd like to avoid this in the future and I'm sure they would too.
I'm going for crate time by day and blocking the nesting boxes at night. The grand experiment starts in a couple of hours - it's been raining but letting up and I'll want to be on hand to observe and make sure she's safe and comfortable - well, as comfortable as she can be in her current state.
Are you going to be taking the hen out of the crate at night? If that's your plan, it won't work. Leave the hen in the broody buster for at least four full days. That's what I have found works best. You let them out early, they'll go right back to it(The broodiness). The B/B has have a wire bottom, and it has to be raised, so the cooler air can get under the hen.
What Jack said
If you let her out of the Buster and block the nest boxes your broody will just make a nest on the floor and stay hot underneath all night.
Put food and water in there (secured so it can't spill) set it up so she can see the other birds when they are around. This isn't about putting her in solitary, it is about keeping her from staying hot underneath. Which, of course, is why they are harder to break during hot summer months.
Put food and water in there (secured so it can't spill) set it up so she can see the other birds when they are around. This isn't about putting her in solitary, it is about keeping her from staying hot underneath. Which, of course, is why they are harder to break during hot summer months.
Herbfarmer
In the Brooder
- Apr 3, 2015
- 16
- 2
- 24
Well, it's a safety issue and I guess if this plan doesn't work I can figure out a way to get the crate into the run but I'll see what happens tonight. I had figured she would lie on the bottom of the crate but she got on the perch within minutes.
One of our BO hens went broody also. It was during the winter still when it was only in the 20's at night. We jimmy-rigged our have-a-heart trap and used it as broody jail. We put her in that in the run during the day (up on blocks) but we let her loose to go in to the coop at night. We were afraid that if she couldn't huddle with someone that she would be too cold at night. Se actually went up on the roost with the others. But in the morning she was back on the nest again, and we put her back in the jail. By the 3rd morning she was out in the run with the rest. I guess we were lucky it worked?
Also, when she was broody, her comb went pale and fell over a bit. I don't thing that the broody hens leave the nest often to eat or drink. They probably get somewhat dehydrated.
Also, when she was broody, her comb went pale and fell over a bit. I don't thing that the broody hens leave the nest often to eat or drink. They probably get somewhat dehydrated.
Herbfarmer
In the Brooder
- Apr 3, 2015
- 16
- 2
- 24
Thanks! I put her on the roost twice last night and then gave up, figuring she'd be in a nest this morning but she wasn't. She ate breakfast with the others and then went to the nest so she's back on her perch in the crate today. So hopefully we're making progress.
I bet you're right about the comb. Thanks again!
Well, it's a safety issue and I guess if this plan doesn't work I can figure out a way to get the crate into the run but I'll see what happens tonight. I had figured she would lie on the bottom of the crate but she got on the perch within minutes.
That looks perfect!
Sadly, my bigger Black Australorp is going broody. Still laying and she stayed out of the box when I removed her yesterday. In the box again this morning and I took her out. In again this afternoon with her egg and I took her out again. Only this time she stayed kinda flattened out when I put her dow and raised all her feathers and screamed at one of the other girls that came near. I think the buster will be her private suite tonight.
Herbfarmer
In the Brooder
- Apr 3, 2015
- 16
- 2
- 24
Sorry to hear that.
Is it mostly chickens without roosters who get broody? And do they do it often if prone to it? I spoke to a friend who has had 6 chickens for 3 years and she's never had a broody one.
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