breaking broodiness

[elmo]

I have a very determined little D'Uccle cross bantam that has been trying to go broody for several weeks now -- even though she has no eggs to sit on. I have tried keeping her away from the nestboxes, but now she's just plopping down wherever she is, even on the bare ground ---and it's so cold! I make sure she gets up to eat and drink several times a day, and I'm monitoring her weight: she's lost some, but not too much.

Is there anything else I should be doing to discourage her, or should I just monitor her and let nature take its course?

 

[The Chicken People]

wire cage with no nesting materials just food and water
I am about to go put my broody in the snow butt first and see if that works!

 

[ArizonaNessa]

You could put her in an enclosure that has a wire bottom for a few days or so. She can't make a warm spot on the ground and eventually will give up. Another solution would be to give her some fertile eggs or day old chicks (chicks no more than 3 days old.) The thing with broodies is you just basically have to let them be mommies or wait them out. Good Luck.

 

[elmo]

I had her in a wire cage this morning as she was drying from her bath (she got pooped on ...a cecal poop, too, yuck). She fluffed up like she does in the nestbox and just sat there on the wire as if it was the most luxurious nestbox ever made.

She's very determined, but this is just the wrong time of year to be raising chicks! I can be determined, too.