Stubborn Broody...any ideas?

[andreanar]

In the summer, I freeze water bottles and put them under the broody breaker cage to help cool her off.

 

[aart]

She's been in this type of cage for about five days. I plan to let her out today to see what she does. Fingers crossed. I have another bird that needs to go in next.

I let mine out twice a day, to dust bathe and run around with their flock,
then back in crate the moment they go back to the nest.
I find it helps to break them if they get out and about, but I have time to do that.

 

[bekachickenborn]

I let mine out twice a day, to dust bathe and run around with their flock,
then back in crate the moment they go back to the nest.
I find it helps to break them if they get out and about, but I have time to do that.

I let her out last night. She hasn't returned to the box! Woohoo! Now PeekABoo is in the jail. I couldn't believe how quickly the cage method worked. Thanks all!

 

[mobius]

Yes...love the ice water bottle and I let mine out once a day in the morning as well to see if she is still broody and to let her stretch and she will often dust bathe. The minute she is back on the nest I pop her back in the broody jail for the day. I also position the broody jail where she can see and interact with her flock mates during the day. She broke in three days this last time, and after a week I think just now she is singing the egg song (VERY screechy) so she may be laying again...that is the true test I think!

 

[Melodychick]

I have a broody that's been in an elevated wire bottom cage for 2 weeks now and she still runs back to the nest box as soon as I let her out. I don't have a rooster, so no fertilized eggs to let her set. I will try the cool water/fan method. Thanks!

 

[andreanar]

The key is to not let them have anything they can use as nesting material (made that mistake once cause I felt sorry for the girl being on just wire). And to keep ventilation under her.

 

[bald Rooster]

Hello I have a Leg horn(Crazy chicken) thats about 16 months old now she went broody sometime in April I let her hatch her eggs and left her in a large 3'x4' cage I use for chicks.she did fine for close to two weeks and then she started dumping the food.
I got feed up with the whole thing and put her back in the coop and left the chicks in the cage .they did fine and are all in my juvenile coop.
The problem is Crazy went broody again.She really never was un broody and still is.
I steal what ever eggs she has everyday and toss her out of the nest and she runs around and eats and drinks and goes right back to a box!
She is no worse for the wear since I toss her out every chance I get.
And no Im not giving her eggs.

 

[snow5164]

Yes you will just have to let her out and see if she goes back. When she's in the jail she shouldn't have a roost. I have one now that has been broody forever so I will put her in the rabbit cage as soon as my other one gets out. Oh well gotta love those broodies

Why shouldn't she have a roost ? I don't want my hens on the wire bottom of my broody buster. Not sure roosting is a problem as ours has worked a few times.

 

[snow5164]

I have a broody that's been in an elevated wire bottom cage for 2 weeks now and she still runs back to the nest box as soon as I let her out. I don't have a rooster, so no fertilized eggs to let her set. I will try the cool water/fan method. Thanks!

One other thing we had to do once was put her in a different environment.. we put her in the tractor with other young chicks for a few days and rearranged the coop .. it worked for us and she is a silkie

 

[aart]

Hello I have a Leg horn(Crazy chicken) thats about 16 months old now she went broody sometime in April I let her hatch her eggs and left her in a large 3'x4' cage I use for chicks.she did fine for close to two weeks and then she started dumping the food.
I got feed up with the whole thing and put her back in the coop and left the chicks in the cage .they did fine and are all in my juvenile coop.
The problem is Crazy went broody again.She really never was un broody and still is.
I steal what ever eggs she has everyday and toss her out of the nest and she runs around and eats and drinks and goes right back to a box!
She is no worse for the wear since I toss her out every chance I get.
And no Im not giving her eggs.

Should have let her out with her chicks after about a week after hatching,
she would have raised them until about 4-8 weeks then probably gone back to laying.