I think my EE-Bella is going BROODY--HELP!! please.

[Messipaw]

I think my EE, Bella is going broody on me. I have a small flock of 6 girls. No roosters. I'm not sure why my EE-Bella decided to go broody.
What makes a hen want to go broody? We collect out eggs twice a day, so no eggs remain in the nest more then a few hours. What could have caused the onset of her broddiness? She is sleeping on the roosting bar at night but during the day she makes a home in the nest box. I remove her as much as possible. she does fluff up and growl at me but i am able to pick her up and remove her. When i take her out and put her in the run she sits in the spot i put her for a bit then gets up and joins the others for a bit then heads back to the coop. I do see her eating and drinking. I try to entice her when she is out and about with treats but she is head strong and heads back to the nest. I have not noticed and feather loss.
Any suggestions on what I should do and or approach my broody busting plan?
Thank you in advance.

 

[JackE]

Sounds broody to me. They will sit on nothing when they get in this state. They can't control it, it's hormonal. What you need to do, is get a wire bottomed cage. I use an old wire box trap I have around here. Hang it, or put it up on blocks, so air gets under the bird. It's very important that it is a wire bottomed cage, not solid. Leave her in there for at least 3 full days. You should put in a small water pan with her, and a small feed bowl. If you have room, hang the broody buster in the coop, so the others can see her. That way, the reintroduction/peaking order nonsense will be a non issue. I have 2 BOs here that like to go broody on me, and this method has worked well for me.
Jack

 

[Messipaw]

Thank you for your feedback. I'm deff going to do this before the feather plucking starts. I will get a small wired cage for in the coop and in the pen during the day. Is that what I should be doing? Putting her in the shade in the pen during the day?

 

[ceeceeholt]

Make sure the wire bottom cage is up off the ground so there is air flow on her undersides. We also use cool water from the hose on her belly a couple of times a day, they actually seem to like that part. It usually takes about 3 days to break them. I have never had any problems reintroducing them to they flock as we put her back with the flock at night. Just put her up on a roost and the next morning all is well. Make sure she has access to plenty of cool water to drink. Good luck. Don't worry if she doesn't start laying again for a week or so, thats what usually happens with mine.

 

[Messipaw]

ceeceeholt--

thank you so much for all your help and advice. I'm going into "broody buster" mode asap!!
thank you again.