6 yr old hen has been broody 21+days

[Country Dreams]

It seems the older my 6 year old Buff Orpington gets the more often she goes broody. Used to be once a year. Last few years 2X. She is currently broody for the THIRD time this year (because 2020...)! Since the day I noticed she was broody, I have denied her access to the nest boxes. She is free to wander around the yard which she does some, but mostly she just sits on an outdoor roost in the run. She has now passed the 21 day mark and still seems broody. Is this normal? Is it because she's so old? Her broodiness is also hard on the other other (7yr old) hen in our flock, because she doesn't want to be by herself, so she sits in the run with her broody sister. (I know a 2 bird flock is too few, but I'm winding down my chicken raising.)

 

[humblehillsfarm]

You’ll need to break her of her broody cycle by putting her in broody jail. @aart has some great recommendations. Basically put her in a separate enclosure without a nest box, but with food and water. In 3-4 days she will be back to her old self but the first couple of days she may be a little upset that she can’t get back to her nest box. I’ve tried numerous methods (except for putting ice packs in the nesting boxes) and this has been the most effective and time-efficient means to breaking the cycle.

 

[aart]

She is free to wander around the yard which she does some, but mostly she just sits on an outdoor roost in the run.

Does she go right back to nest when allowed?
Are you positive she's broody?
I would think a broody would nestle onto the ground rather than sitting on a roost.
How have you broken them in the past?
'Broody' doesn't just 'shut off' at 21 days.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) 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.
Now I just take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

 

[Country Dreams]

In the past, I have dealt with her broodiness by blocking her out of the nest box several times a day and waiting for the broody period to pass. This time I am trying just blocking her out all day. I would think her sitting on the outdoor roost would "cool her off" just like a wire cage? I was under the impression that it is a hormonal cycle that typically lasts 21 days. I believe she is still broody now because she still fluffs up really big, makes those demonic broody trills, sometimes sits on the ground picking up sticks and leaves around her like she's nesting, goes straight for the nest box if given the chance, and complains loudly about not being able to get in the coop. She acts broody 2/3 of the day and the other 1/3 she's doing chicken-y things like dust bathing and hunting and pecking for food in the yard. Could her old age be affecting her cycle?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Every bird and every cycle is different. Only sure fire way to end it is broody jail or giving her chicks/letting her hatch eggs. My first broody bird was broody for over four weeks before I gave her eggs, and three weeks later she hatched them, so seven weeks all together, not including the 4-5 weeks she took the raise the chicks. It seems your bird is quite persistant and the merciful thing to do is just lock her in "jail" and get it over with in 3-4 days.