my chicken is broody AGAIN

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frizzylizzy2003

frizzylizzy2003

Chirping
5 Years
Nov 30, 2014
103
8
68
so basically my chickens just finished raising 13 chicks and they are now roughly 8 weeks old - AND NOW ONE IS BROODY AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we don't want ANY more chicks though what do we do
idunno.gif
!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!?????????!?!?!!!!!!!???!?!?!!!!!!!!!!?????????? also we got ducklings and the chickens and ducks are half fighting and just being mean to eachother!
 
Break her...put her in a wire cage with no bedding.

My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a few bricks right in the coop and I would feed her some watered down crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.
 
aart said:
Break her...put her in a wire cage with no bedding.

My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a few bricks right in the coop and I would feed her some watered down crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost thatevening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.
Click to expand...

okay thanks - will have to try that
goodpost.gif
 
aart said:
Break her...put her in a wire cage with no bedding.

My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a few bricks right in the coop and I would feed her some watered down crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.
Click to expand...

She's STILL broody what do we do? shes been breaking for 7 or 10 days
 
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What's in the buster cage? You should have food and water in good heavy bowls that won't tip over, and absolutely no bedding at all. No hay, no nesting materials.

Also, what breed is you chicken? I have heard some are notoriously hard to break. Silkies in particular!

Here is a picture of my girl in her buster cage. You will note it raised up off the ground to allow air to circulate under her. The base is a fine wire so as not to hurt her feet.



Obviously you should have a roof of some kind over the top of the cage to protect her from the elements. If it's freezing cold, I would put the cage under shelter too - in a garage or in the coop if it will fit.

Have you been letting her out at all? She should spend 48 hours in there non-stop, before you let her out to 'test' her. If she runs back to the nest, she needs more time in the cage. If she re-joins her friends she is busted.

One thing to note: I had one girl who after a few days in Busterville needed to lay an egg, so on occasion if she persistently goes back to the nest you might let her sit for half and hour and see if she will lay.

Also, I have had a few stubborn broody hens who just won't break, especially in hot weather, so a cool bath (just their under-carriage) can do the trick, as long as it is not too cold outside. It's not ideal, but it's a last resort.

Good luck!

Krista.
 
Thx for being so quick she is an austra white and she is in the dog crate at the moment but weve got a cat transporter thing in there and when we lock her out of it she goes off at us - we might have to try that bath thing or take the cat crate out thanks again for being so quick :) so we had her locked in the cat crate but she couldnt stand up so we let her into the dog crate and when we feed her our friend told us to scatter he food so we have but she wont come intothe actul dog crate she is about 18 months and this is her second time being broody our other hen and her went broody late november and we bought 15 fertile eggs and they raised 13 of them she enjoyed motherhood so shes broody but the other hated it so shes not to bad they are also molting though and its quite cold thanks for your help;-)
 
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frizzylizzy2003 said:
Thx for being so quick she is an austra white and she is in the dog crate at the moment but weve got a cat transporter thing in there and when we lock her out of it she goes off at us - we might have to try that bath thing or take the cat crate out thanks again for being so quick :) so we had her locked in the cat crate but she couldnt stand up so we let her into the dog crate and when we feed her our friend told us to scatter he food so we have but she wont come intothe actul dog crate she is about 18 months and this is her second time being broody our other hen and her went broody late november and we bought 15 fertile eggs and they raised 13 of them she enjoyed motherhood so shes broody but the other hated it so shes not to bad they are also molting though and its quite cold thanks for your help;-)
Click to expand...
Sounds like the cat carrier was being used/seen by her as a nest.
Bare wire crate with nothing but food/water dishes...nothing else.
Krists has shown you a great example.

Sounds like you need to start over.
Put her in the wire crate, don't wait for her to go in by herself.

More clear info on your setup/situation might help....a pic would be great!
 
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aart said:
Tell us exactly how you have tried to break her.
Maybe you missed something....tho I've read that some are notoriously hard to break.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Those would be mine, lol. In the heat of Summer we had a stretch over days well over 100F, and at one point I had SIX broody hens at once! Anyway, one of those girls took TEN DAYS to break. I thought it would never end! I am positive the extreme heat had something to do with it.


frizzylizzy2003 said:
Thx for being so quick she is an austra white and she is in the dog crate at the moment but weve got a cat transporter thing in there and when we lock her out of it she goes off at us - we might have to try that bath thing or take the cat crate out thanks again for being so quick :) so we had her locked in the cat crate but she couldnt stand up so we let her into the dog crate and when we feed her our friend told us to scatter he food so we have but she wont come intothe actul dog crate she is about 18 months and this is her second time being broody our other hen and her went broody late november and we bought 15 fertile eggs and they raised 13 of them she enjoyed motherhood so shes broody but the other hated it so shes not to bad they are also molting though and its quite cold thanks for your help;-)
Click to expand...

Wherever you put her she must have room to stand up, pace a few feet back and forth, and spread her wings. A cat crate won't be big enough I'm afraid. Her feed does not need to be scattered - just give her some good heavy bowls she can't knock over, and all the feed and water she needs. Whatever happens, she must have her basic needs met and be comfortable. Just not comfortable enough to be able to build a nest! Also, don't wait for her to go in the cage. Pick her up and plonk her in there yourself! If you wait for her to go in voluntarily, you'll be waiting all week
smile.png


- Krista
 
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Sounds like you've got good advice. Here's my crate that I made as a broody breaker.
I use cable ties on the food and water dish so she can't knock them over.
This has worked twice on the same hen. Both times were about 3 days.
 

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