Broody breaker 101

[Akachicklil]

My brooder is I should say I brood in my coop(after a week inside the house brooder),
never triggered a broody to my recall.

Awesome thanks aart!

 

[Akachicklil]

The only reason my brooder was outside last summer is that the Little Monitor Coop is too small to put it inside.

I don't mess with lighting in either direction. They get daylight and darkness according to nature's cycles.

Nice! Got it! Got it!

 

[Akachicklil]

Aw thanks! I’ve made a bunch of changes since I wrote my coop article. I should update it. Moved the coop, added improvements…

Beantown is awesome! The chickens do just fine in the winter. I have abundant year-round ventilation so I haven’t had any frostbite issues. The run is covered in plastic on the sides in the winter, so the bulk of the snow stays out. I shovel the rest and throw dry leaves on the ground (I bag and collect them in the fall) and the chickens are happy. They rarely ever stay in the coop, and never for a full day. Just long enough for me to shovel and throw some leaves down, then they come out. We’re getting a blizzard tomorrow, actually!

You’re welcome!

 

[Akachicklil]

To clear up any confusion, this is a dog crate.
View attachment 2975501

This is a pet carrier.
View attachment 2975502

A pet carrier would not work.

Love this! Thanks for the photos . Look at that cute Cocker Spaniel!!

Noted. Yeah cause the drafty air can’t get underneath that chicken breast in the pet carrier.

 

[Akachicklil]

I subsequently found that my concern was unfounded. I had two repeat broodies last summer that were taking turns almost non-stop, so I had to cage them in my outdoor broody breaker. I also had to keep a different hen in an actual dog crate for a week, to recover from injuries, and a pullet who was sick… Now I have a hen who’s in jail because she’s a bully. None of those birds seem to hate me because of it! On the contrary - the extra handling, attention and treats have improved our bond. I have spent solo time with each caged bird, to break up her long boring days of confinement, and they have seen that as a plus, more so than they’ve suffered from the actual confinement. So that has definitely eased my guilt.

Awww !! That’s something I would do. I love my little feather children. Good to hear. Isn’t it nice when they are tame. I was so amazed at first.

 

[Akachicklil]

Love that! Great price, too! Saving it.

Wow that is a good price!

 

[Akachicklil]

When I think of doge crates I'm talking about the plastic ones with wire door. Those don't work well as there is no removable bottom.

A person could quickly build from wood or cut a plastic tote bottom and figure a way to secure hardware cloth to it. Then hardware cloth a window. If that's too much work or you don't already have the materials for it on hand then a small rabbit cage from Tractor Supply is $30.

2ft cage-
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/dumor-24-in-rabbit-cage-hlf1700-1457219

That's bigger than you need really but hard to find something smaller. Works well for transporting multiple birds to the fair or holding them for sale too. Not a bad investment.

Excellent deal! I agree. Thank you. Will save that!

 

[Akachicklil]

I have a small pallet just exactly the right size to raise the dog crate off the ground.

Lovely!

 

[Akachicklil]

No. Most of us have nests inside the coop. Hens go broody there. Often a hen will hide a nest, often a good distance away from the coop, and go broody. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Some people have a theory as how you can make a hen go broody but that does not always work. Hens go broody because of hormones. Heredity has a lot to do with that. Some go broody a lot, some never do.


I follow normal day and night patterns, no artificial light for me.

Perfect thank you.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The only reason my brooder was outside last summer is that the Little Monitor Coop is too small to put it inside.

I don't mess with lighting in either direction. They get daylight and darkness according to nature's cycles.

x2 on both, I don't have room inside my coop to fit my existing breakers (if I bought a proper dog crate, I would be able to fit that haha) so the breaker sits out in the run. And I don't do anything to mess with the light.