2 year old black Australorp

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

I break my broody hens in a broody breaker. A wire dog crate that is elevated so she gets plenty of circulation across her belly to cool her down. She stays in the crate day and night for a minimum of 3 days. Then you let her out and see if she roosts.

If she goes back to the nest box, she gets put back in the crate for another day then you try again the next day.

Having let her set for two whole months trying to hatch nothing, you probably should put her in the crate for about a week before she's going to break. Sometimes for stubborn broodies, you can dunk them in a tub of cool water then stick them back in the crate soaking wet. Obviously, she will need food and water in there with her. And she needs to be in a secure location.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Sometimes a broody can be broken if you constantly keep taking them off their "broody spot" and forcing them to get up and walk around. I've also put ice packs (covered in a paper towel so it's not too cold) on their bellies to break it. It worked with some but not others

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. Have you considered buying her a couple of day old pullets?

 

[RKO55]

Yes, locking her out of the coop can help although she may find another spot to be broody in. Some people will cage a broody for a few days, anything to interfere with her ability to sit somewhere.

One last question, will she start laying again or is 2 years old her limit?

 

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to BYC. Glad to have you here with us in this poultry loving community. She should start laying again for a few more years.

 

[TwoCrows]

One last question, will she start laying again or is 2 years old her limit?

Yes they do go back to laying however if she goes broody again, she'll stop laying again. Australorps can lay into their 6th and 7th year, they don't burn out like other production breeds.

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC. Break her broodiness, give her time to recover, and there is no reason she should not start laying again.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Hello, and welcome to BYC! It's very nice to meet you!

 

[N F C]

Hello, I've used the method @DobieLover describes to break broodiness...give it a try and let us know how it works out for you. Best of luck!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!