Breaking broody hen

[DobieLover]

I just broke 4 broody hens that way - I put two at a time in the large wire crate (I made a 2x4 roost) and left them in there for 2-3 days and then let them out - no more broody hens in the nest box (Well, I currently have 3 others sitting on eggs because ALL my Orpingtons went broody at once!) Good luck!

Putting 2 hormonal broodies in the same cage can lead to one getting the pulp beat out of her. It's best to put them in their own cage.

 

[DobieLover]

If she stays in the nesting box over 1 hour tomorrow I will place her in our dog cage.
Have very large Cooler ice bags which will be placed under the dog cage. (Will cover them with visqeen)

Don't let her stay in the box at all. If she goes back, take her out immediately. If she's broody, she isn't laying and has no business going in the box. It will only prolong her condition if you let her stay in the box for any length of time.

 

[aart]

She looked very wide, was making Quiet kuk kuk sound and hopped backed in the nesting box.

SOunds broody to me!
Here are my go-to signs of a broody bird:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.


I have put a chunk of 2x4 on the wire floor, just to give the feet a break from the wire.
But that was for a serial broody who spent most the summer in the breaker crate.
Not necessary, but not a detriment either.


If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, 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. Or 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.
Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

 

[Ponte]

Broody hen somehow managed to squeeze past the two gallon size bucket inside the nesting box.

Placed her inside a small dog cage. Underneath the cage is a large cooler ice pack. She is eating and drinking.
Noticed that her vent feathers are gone, I posted last week about finding soft little feathers in the nesting box.
The four other pullets are staying by her.

anything I should do ?

 

[aart]

I posted last week about finding soft little feathers in the nesting box.

That can be a sign of a broody they pluck some feathers off the breast and belly to expose the skin for better egg contact during incubation.

Your set up looks good, just make sure she doesn't dump that water and have nothing to drink...and move the crate if it gets in full sun.

 

[Ponte]

Already began working on making a water cup which snaps to the cage vertical wire grid.
The avocado tree will provide shade all day.

 

[Ponte]

The broody one has always been the top dominant chicken, first to lay, the one that calls out when anything is wrong. Today the the pullets-hens are staying by her dog cage.
Usually we get 4-5 egged out of the 5 of them, today we have only gotten one egg.
Is the flock’s low egg production related to the top hen’s incarceration ?

 

[aart]

Is the flock’s low egg production related to the top hen’s incarceration ?

Could be, they'll get over it.

 

[Ponte]

Could be, they'll get over it.

They are interesting creatures.
Although I never worked in it, my degree was in Wildlife Biology. My psychologist daughter and I are having a great time speaking of hormonal induced behaviors as we watch this hen.

 

[Mrs. K]

You all have so much will power, are not a couple of chicks at TSC calling your name! Listen, I think they are saying, "Peep peep peep, come and get me"