Breaking a Broody in Cold Temps

[lbgreenfield]

Hi there. I have a 9 month old Black Australorp that has gone broody for the 5th time now. Usually in warmer months, I put her in a wire bottom crate within the run (with food/water and so she’s still visible to the other hens) and leave her there for a few days until she breaks. With the temps dipping into the low 20s now overnight, I don’t want to leave her out in the wire crate at night. Our coop is too small to put the crate in there as well.

Would it be alright if I put the wire crate and her in our garage instead? I’m hesitant to do this since she would be completely separated from the flock as I’d be worried about reintegration but we don’t really have a choice. Last time in September, it took 8 days of being confined to the crate to break her broodiness.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[DobieLover]

Hi there. I have a 9 month old Black Australorp that has gone broody for the 5th time now. Usually in warmer months, I put her in a wire bottom crate within the run (with food/water and so she’s still visible to the other hens) and leave her there for a few days until she breaks. With the temps dipping into the low 20s now overnight, I don’t want to leave her out in the wire crate at night. Our coop is too small to put the crate in there as well.

Would it be alright if I put the wire crate and her in our garage instead? I’m hesitant to do this since she would be completely separated from the flock as I’d be worried about reintegration but we don’t really have a choice. Last time in September, it took 8 days of being confined to the crate to break her broodiness.

Any help is appreciated!

Is your run predator proof?
Have you winterized it with tarps or old shower curtains or stacked hay bales or whatever you do to winterize it?
I wouldn't hesitate to put a broody in a crate in my run during cold weather after the tarps were up. It has just as much wind protection as the coop.
Those BAs make WONDERFUL mothers if you ever decide to let her do her thing if she goes broody again next year.

 

[aart]

Would it be alright if I put the wire crate and her in our garage instead?

Yep, then move the crate to the run during the day.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Is your run predator proof?
Have you winterized it with tarps or old shower curtains or stacked hay bales or whatever you do to winterize it?
I wouldn't hesitate to put a broody in a crate in my run during cold weather after the tarps were up. It has just as much wind protection as the coop.
Those BAs make WONDERFUL mothers if you ever decide to let her do her thing if she goes broody again next year.

Hi. My run is completely predator proof, fencing on all sides and buried 3ft into the ground. I have a large tarp roof over one portion of the run, the rest is open. I was concerned with her feet getting frostbite overnight. I will try it tonight and see how she does, it’s going down to 28degF tonight!

 

[DobieLover]

Hi. My run is completely predator proof, fencing on all sides and buried 3ft into the ground. I have a large tarp roof over one portion of the run, the rest is open. I was concerned with her feet getting frostbite overnight. I will try it tonight and see how she does, it’s going down to 28degF tonight!

What is over the top? Do you have wind blocks in place?
Otherwise, I'd go with @aart's suggestion of moving the crate into the garage at night and back into the run during the day for her safety. That's just a bit of the PITA though.

 

[lbgreenfield]

What is over the top? Do you have wind blocks in place?
Otherwise, I'd go with @aart's suggestion of moving the crate into the garage at night and back into the run during the day for her safety. That's just a bit of the PITA though.

We have 2 tarp sections (see attached photos of the run, coop, crate, and the BA). The blue tarp section isn’t fully enclosed but it stays dry under there from rain, that’s where I would move the crate to if I were to keep her outside. It would be a hassle to move the crate to/from the garage every day but I could do that if needed.
Let me know your thoughts based on the photos.

 

[NatJ]

Maybe you can go out right after dark and put her on the roost in the coop. If it's already dark, she should stay put until morning. Then you could put her back in the broody crate in the morning.

Or put a piece of wood inside the crate for a roost, so she can sit on it instead of having her feet on the bare wire.

The instructions for broody-breaking all seem to agree that having a roost is fine, just no nest or solid surface, so either way would probably work fine for keeping her toes warmer while still breaking broodiness.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Maybe you can go out right after dark and put her on the roost in the coop. If it's already dark, she should stay put until morning. Then you could put her back in the broody crate in the morning.

Or put a piece of wood inside the crate for a roost, so she can sit on it instead of having her feet on the bare wire.

The instructions for broody-breaking all seem to agree that having a roost is fine, just no nest or solid surface, so either way would probably work fine for keeping her toes warmer while still breaking broodiness.

Good ideas. Although I’ve tried to put her in the coop on the roost at night and she somehow finds her way to the nesting box! I will try adding a roost bar in the crate under the blue tarp section to help keep her feet warm at night.
Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

[aart]

Or put a piece of wood inside the crate for a roost, so she can sit on it instead of having her feet on the bare wire.

This a good idea anyway.
Although my broody crate pic doesn't show it,
I toss in a length of 2x4 to give feet a break from the wire floor.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Ok, so I have her set up under our blue tarp area in the run. She has a roost she’s been sitting on for most of the afternoon. I am going to keep her there overnight tonight and see how she does (temps going down to 40degF with winds tonight).