breaking broody in wire cage - how long??

[TM Chickens]

I've read lots of previous posts on stopping a hen from being broody, and I've tried throwing her off the nest several times a day, putting ice under her, blocking off the nesting boxes... We finally put her in a wire cage, raised off the groud nearly a foot. How do I know when she's ready to come out and not keep sitting? We already have 3 hens that hatched chicks and just cannot handle any more or I would put an egg or two under her.

 

[Ericasl]

Nothing is working for me and my broody. I quit and I am giving in and letting her sit on eggs!!!

 

[seriousbill]

Some broodies can be very hard to break up. The wire cage approach does tend to work best. You'll need to give her a few days and watch her closely. As she comes out of the broody phase she should stop clucking and fluffing up and should behave more normally. Good luck!

 

[Dawn419]

We keep our broody girls in "chicken jail" from anywhere to 3 days to a week and agree with seriousbill...watch her closely and you'll know when she comes out of it.


Dawn

 

[TM Chickens]

Thanks for the replies. We noticed she was still 'fluffing up' this morning when we checked on her. So when she stops that we'll let her out and see how she does. Guess we could always put her back in the jail, um, vaction condo

, if she keeps going to the nest again.
Chickens are soooo fun!

 

[pips&peeps]

I usually wait until they stop "growling" at me too. Some of my very very broody birds I leave in the cage until they lay an egg.

 

[naturemom]

Usually it takes mine about 3 days, sometimes less if I can catch them early enough, and 1 took close to a week. If you let them out and they go back to the nest, you just take them out and put them back in jail.

 

[TM Chickens]

It worked! She was very docile this morning (in the cage) so we let her out and watched her. She's fine! Hasn't been to the nesting boxes once and is roaming with the other hens. Checked on her again at noon and still good!! She was locked up 2 days.

 

[Dawn419]

Congrat's and Welcome to BYC, by the way!

Dawn