All night and most of the day in nest box

[KimbosKluckers]

Doesn't that harassment sound worse than simply crating her?

You crate 24/7 if possible (some folks have the crate/pen in a run that's not predator safe, so for safety the hen gets moved back onto the roost in that case), and straight through the first 48 hours before testing to see if she goes back. If she returns to the nest then it's another 24 hours before testing again.

If she has one last egg (or two) in her tract, she can lay it on the floor of the cage, it shouldn't cause any issues like not wanting to use nest boxes after.

Honestly, no it doesn’t sound worse than solitary confinement for days on end but I don’t know, just asking questions. I’ll get a crate this weekend but in the meantime this is what I’ll have to do. I’m glad you mentioned the egg laying in the crate, I was wondering if that would bound her not having a nest. Thank you.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Honestly, no it doesn’t sound worse than solitary confinement for days on end

You actually don't want solitary confinement. The crate or pen should be placed somewhere in the coop or run so she can still see and hear the other birds and vice versa, or else you risk having to reintegrate her back in.

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

My broody jail... In the middle of the run, safe and secure and others get to interact with her. She just can't sit on a nest. *Older photo

ETA: some girls stay one day if I catch them early enough, some stay three-- this is generally when I miss them and they are super fluffy and noisey, and one stays six (she is currently sitting on eggs to hatch)

 

[BDutch]

Also…what if I try moving her all the time, pecking her out of there, spray her etc. Has anyone tried other methods than a crate?

Yes, I don’t have a crate.

Spray her? Why?

But during the day when no one is in there she’s still in the nest?

Yes

Oh do I remove fake eggs?

Yes

I get the broody out of the nest. Close the nest if I don’t expect another hen to lay or give other hens acces to another nest.
Since I have another coop (playhouse) with mo nest but only 2 roosts, I lock a broody in there for two days/nights.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Thank you all for the advice. I’ll probably get a crate tomorrow. Last night at dusk I removed her from the nest and put her on a roost. She stayed there all night and so far this morning. Yay. We will see how today goes. She’s currently up and foraging.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thank you all for the advice. I’ll probably get a crate tomorrow. Last night at dusk I removed her from the nest and put her on a roost. She stayed there all night and so far this morning. Yay. We will see how today goes. She’s currently up and foraging.

I was really against the crate because it seemed cruel. But after trying to get Clyde my broodies from the nest and seeing them so frantic to get back to sit on the eggs (which weren’t there) I have concluded that the crate is less cruel.
Also, it ensures they get to eat and drink.
One of my broody ladies would never come off the nest and I was taking her off every day but she was barely eating a thing.
Once I caged her she started eating and I was so relieved.
The key to the crate is air circulation - so have it up on blocks and only a little bit of wood for her to stand on (the wire probably isn’t comfy in their feet). Also, have it in with the crowd. Mine is only a few feet from the main night time roost and it is very social. Everyone comes to visit the broody and see if she has spilled any food for them (because of course I give treats to my poor jailbird!).
My least stubborn broody only needs a couple of days in jail.
My most stubborn needed about a week. She kept trying to trick me into believing she was done but as soon as I let her out she ran back to the nest!
Good luck with your gal.

 

[Muser]

If you want to break her. A wire dog crate elevated on bricks or lumber with a bar for getting off wire bottom is best for 2-3 days with food/water.

We have a Brahma going broody and from all I've read it's rare, and our Australorps who are supposed to be broody hardly go broody. It's all in the bird lol

I got a broody brahma x orpington with chick at the moment. I put it down to the orpington in her

 

[KimbosKluckers]

I was really against the crate because it seemed cruel. But after trying to get Clyde my broodies from the nest and seeing them so frantic to get back to sit on the eggs (which weren’t there) I have concluded that the crate is less cruel.
Also, it ensures they get to eat and drink.
One of my broody ladies would never come off the nest and I was taking her off every day but she was barely eating a thing.
Once I caged her she started eating and I was so relieved.
The key to the crate is air circulation - so have it up on blocks and only a little bit of wood for her to stand on (the wire probably isn’t comfy in their feet). Also, have it in with the crowd. Mine is only a few feet from the main night time roost and it is very social. Everyone comes to visit the broody and see if she has spilled any food for them (because of course I give treats to my poor jailbird!).
My least stubborn broody only needs a couple of days in jail.
My most stubborn needed about a week. She kept trying to trick me into believing she was done but as soon as I let her out she ran back to the nest!
Good luck with your gal.

Thanks so much. So weird how they want to sit on nothing. I appreciate your reply.

 

[Muser]

Thanks so much. So weird how they want to sit on nothing. I appreciate your reply.

Yeah I tried breaking our girl, take her off the nest, back on she goes, remove all the eggs, shes happy to just sit in the nesting box. Try and cool her off, not having it, back to being warm on a nest. I didn't have the setup of a broody jail at the time, so ended up giving her hatching eggs. She trilled when I gave her them, literal chirps of joy. Here she is a couple of days after hatching the 7 fluff balls.

But now we have a broody jail ready to go so it's not a pain for her to be moved/jostled/manhandled every 5 minutes. She will go in the crate for 3 days and out she comes... That's my plan anyway, let's hope she doesn't out-stubborn me on the broody jail!

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Seems the center nest is a favorite. A red decided to join her this morning. She is puffing up at her and pecking occasionally, bully…but red is not phased yet.