Breaking Broody advice please!

[krista74]

Subscribing. I have a LF cochin that has been broody the past two days. It's cold here, high of 34*F, low of 25*F. I am hoping the cold weather helps to break her. Funny thing is, we have had snow flurries both days and her name is Elsa (from Disney's Frozen).

this passes, I'm not into having chicks in the winter!

Welcome to the drama!

Broody Hens generally will keep their chicks warm if the weather is cool, but yeah, I can understand it is not an ideal scenario to have them hatching in Winter.

Are you deploying the Broody Buster technique too? It is quite the journey! My other 3 broody hens all got to hatch out chicks but I am in need of eggs at the moment and I can't have another hen out of action - hence my first experience with the Buster cage!

Keep reading! I hope to one day announce that she went up to roost, past the nest boxes, without temptation getting the better of her!

- Krista

 

[krista74]

So far, so good. It's 5.15pm, the chickens are all out free-ranging, and Broody is still with them.

Also, I have some big news - Broody laid an egg today!

So she HAS technically been in the nest, but she got herself out again (somehow!)

I am still going to block off the nest boxes tonight (best to avoid temptation where we can) but it's another step in the right direction.

Another post to come after 8pm (in 3 hours time.) I really hope she can sleep inside with the others tonight instead of in the Buster cage.

- Krista

 

[krista74]

SHE WENT UP TO ROOST!

Granted, I did block off the nest boxes to help her along, but when I went to lock the coop up at 8.15pm she was in there with the others, in her old spot on the top roosting bar.

I am so happy for her!

Tomorrow I plan on doing the same process (covering the nests up before dusk) and hopefully after that we will have set a new habit. The hope is that on the following night she will go up to roost unassisted.

I'm such a proud chicken Momma tonight!

I love my Broody girl, she has been through a lot in the last week - stifling hot weather, broodiness and the addition of 3 new hens to the flock.

Bless her little feathered socks.....

- Krista

 

[aart]

Always a relief when that's over with!

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Success!!! Way to go!!!

 

[krista74]

Good morning all.

This morning when I went to feed everyone Broody was in the coop but not in the nest - a good start to the day. She had spent the night on the roost in her rightful position next to the rooster which is great progress.

I let them all out to start my daily rounds, and while I was cleaning the coop she came back in and went into the nest. I decided to sit and watch her for a bit - I often do this when they are laying so it was not unusual to her. She was sitting there flicking straw about and I thought to myself - "I don't think this is broody behaviour, I think this is egg laying preparation." I decided to give her an hour to produce and egg, and if nothing happened I would then turf her out of the nest.

Well, she laid an egg! And not only that, when I came back to get her out of the nest she had already gotten herself out and was out in the run with the rest of the flock. It is like she is her old, normal self again

On reflection, the Broody Buster cage really does seem to work, but to anyone contemplating using this method to break their broody hen I have one piece of advice for you - You MUST be persistent with it.

Yes, you can let them out for a five minute stretch each morning, but if they show any slight sign that they are heading back towards the nest you have to nip that in the bud immediately and dump them back in their buster cage for another 24 hours.

I have to admit - I felt terrible doing this. But once we had gotten into a routine of overnight in the cage, 5 minutes out in the morning, back into the cage, it really started to take effect. All up she spent about 5 days and nights in the buster cage. And that was in heat of 100F+ over each of those 5 days. I suspect in cooler weather it might be done in less time.

I look forward to hearing of anyone else's experiences using the Buster Method in the future. For now though (unless something unanticipated develops) this Broody is declared Busted!

- Krista

 

[DuckieLover2014]

Way to go, I'm so proud and happy for her Krista.