A broody chicken

pattyfan

Chirping
Jan 3, 2020
41
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HI y'all. One of my hens went broody a few days ago. I have two questions. And just for background, my hens are pets and I look at them in that light.

1. When she first went broody, she would get up in the morning and eat. I haven't seen her do that in the last 2 days. She may have done it when I didn't see though. I just want to make sure that she won't starve herself.

2. What is the most humane thing to do? Just let her be broody for 3 weeks? It seems like that will be really hard on her physically. Or put frozen veggies under her? I don't want to do that water thing. It's not that warm here. Thanks so much.

Kevin
 
Have you tried the frozen veggie trick? I think I might try that first. Thanks.
I had my first broody a couple weeks ago and really didn't want to go the broody "jail" route, thinking it was cruel but then my hen started to look so bedraggled and thin and she was so grumpy! She got in major fights with a different hen each day! It was taking a toll on the peace of the flock, so I did end up using the crate. She spent two days and one night in there and after that she stopped going to the nest. She took two weeks off from laying eggs and is back to normal now.
I just went out to close the pop door and see that another Buff Orpington is on the nest! She has been showing signs, so I am not that surprised. Looks like this might be an eventful summer!
 
HI y'all. One of my hens went broody a few days ago. I have two questions. And just for background, my hens are pets and I look at them in that light.

1. When she first went broody, she would get up in the morning and eat. I haven't seen her do that in the last 2 days. She may have done it when I didn't see though. I just want to make sure that she won't starve herself.

2. What is the most humane thing to do? Just let her be broody for 3 weeks? It seems like that will be really hard on her physically. Or put frozen veggies under her? I don't want to do that water thing. It's not that warm here. Thanks so much.

Kevin
As others have suggested, a broody cage. If you allow her to keep sitting on unfertilized eggs then that is not the humane thing as they eat less and sit almost all day and night for nothing. Either get her some fertile eggs to hatch or break her.. I use a broody cage setup - here's pic below of my girl today.. 3 days and 3 nights for her. It does seem a little cruel but better then other methods of breaking. I see it as a vacation since they have a break from being mated and have food and water to themselves. I move the cage inside the coop at night for safety.
IMG_20210429_114910.jpg
 
Here's how I break a broody.

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.

After 48 hours I 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.
1619781013749.png
 

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