Won't stop brooding going on six weeks!

[off-grid hen]

Is she in a wire cage? If so, I'm not sure what to say.

I let mine sit in the nest box for a while, unless they start chasing everyone out. I waited until she as broody six weeks and losing a lot of weight before I tried to break her. It took 3 days in a wire rabbit cage with food and water. when she would pace to indicate she wanted out, I'd let her out. The time she spent out in the yard was longer and longer each day. For a few days, she would be out all day, then try to sleep in the nest box. I would gently move her to a roost after dark. After 2 nights of that she was fully broken.

The other 2 broodies I had, I didn't wait the full six weeks, and they were both different. 4 days was the longest time in broody jail, 1 day was the shortest.

 

[memc33]

Yes, she's in a wire cage about a foot off the ground, she just holes up in the corner of it and broods there, doesn't even get up for food or water, so I have to throw her out so she'll eat. If yours went six weeks too, I guess she'll be ok. I just get worried about her not eating and drinking enough in the heat, she's our friendliest and best layer most of the year and I would hate to have anything happen to her. Thanks for the response!

 

[InsaneBreeder]

The only thing I've tried that has ever worked to break a broody hen is to separate her from the flock, provide her with an attractive nesting box with eggs that I would really like her to hatch, and then wait for her to get on and do her thing. She becomes immediately and persistently unbroody.

(of course, as soon as I get tired of waiting, give up, and put her back with the other chickens, she decides to go broody again)

 

[karlamaria]

I took her out today, put the two who are laying and locked them in the pen/coop and her out the whole day/ she walked back and fourth trying to figure out how to get in lol. tonight I blocked the nesting box ( tried the other night and she got nuts) and tonight she got nuts again and pecked every bird in the coop, making them all run out. no matter what every time the others tried to roost ( pullets and 9 week old chicks) she drove them out again and again. not letting them even roost. So I caged her in a pet carrier. there she will sleep until tomorrow when I put her out side the coop and pen again. she will not be allowed back in the nest box again until she comes out of brooding. I got her eggs to hatch, but beings I have a back yard coop I can not keep giving her eggs. I have enough birds lol. she will have to come out of it or be locked out of the coop all day and evening. at least she is eating well.

 

[FireTigeris]

I have three birds that are always broody, they are going on 5 years (two) and 2 years - they are not dead, I do not remove them/ feed them extra, I let them do it themselves.

 

[karlamaria]

I have three birds that are always broody, they are going on 5 years (two) and 2 years - they are not dead, I do not remove them/ feed them extra, I let them do it themselves.

I would have let her do it her self also but she took over the huge nest box, and chases everyone out of the coop ! I ordered more nest boxes, but I refuse to let her rule the whole coop.

she is a real poop when its broody time.

 

[FireTigeris]

I have 10 nest box total, and between the ducks and chickens 30 birds (some of them male).

3 per nest box works for me- You can make it harder for her to see the others maybe- (curtain) and put food and water in the one across-

(my nest boxes are in 2 rows 5 long I can block on the rear two (or four) and put food and water in one and let a broody nest in the other(s), she will still need to leave the are to poo but she feels less threatened.

She is programmed to be this way, fighting her will just make you tired and exasperated.

 

[karlamaria]

we had our coop enlarged and the nest box was made real big, to fit 3 to 5 birds . it huge and could probably fit more!. it worked out well until she became broody and took over the whole box, and the coop. we have nine birds, 2 chicks, 3 big girls and 4 pullets. we were planning on getting a few new nest boxes for the pullets, so I went ahead and got them coming. but her problem is she wants the whole coop. and its a big coop. she is being a turdsy and I will not stand for it. I have blocked her from going into the box during the day and she is kept in the yard with food water and shade, the other 2 girls are now locked in until they lay and then will be let out also. with her chasing them out, they have resorted to laying there eggs everywhere but the nest box. She will have to break broody, I now block the nest box at night and put her in a crate. everyone can then sleep soundly. She is a gentle girl, but when she broods, she really broods! the new nest boxes will be great for the pullets, and she will be locked in the crate until she stops brooding. nothing breaks her so she will have to be broke on her own in a crate at night and the yard during the day . She is not happy but oh well my other birds will be.

 

[FireTigeris]

... still odd, my broody don't move from the nest, the nest boxes are one by one by one, the whole thing is only 3*5 ... none of them chase others around... even the three that are always broody, is something else wrong?

If you get a covered cat litter box, they will lay in that... or you can put it in the shade and water and food and let her sit on nothing...

 

[karlamaria]

... still odd, my broody don't move from the nest, the nest boxes are one by one by one, the whole thing is only 3*5 ... none of them chase others around... even the three that are always broody, is something else wrong?

If you get a covered cat litter box, they will lay in that... or you can put it in the shade and water and food and let her sit on nothing...

No she will no let anyone else in the nest box, so when I block her from it, she drives everyone out. I mean literally she is that mad and pecks everyone roosting. she squawks and screams. the other birds need to have there nest, so she is in the crate at night until she comes out of it, and out side all day with the rest of the birds. she is coming out of it I can tell she no longer runs back and fourth all day trying to get into the coop. she is a lovely girl, just wants to brood chicks non stop. I can not deal with any more right now, we all want to go camping etc and I do not want to get stuck home for the summer with chicks, pullets older hens and the pecking order. come March, I will put eggs under her again, but for now she needs to forget about it LOL