Broody Behavior?

[aart]

I don't have any wire cages. Is there any substitute?

You could cobble something together, needs a mesh bottom tho.
I would strongly suggest you buy a crate, they are mighty handy.
Foldable for sure, with 2 doors even better.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't have any wire cages. Is there any substitute?

Do you have anything that might work similarly?

Ideally you want a wire floor to allow cool air to flow under her and cool her breast, however I've gotten away with breaking broodies without a wire floor, because I do it immediately after they start going broody. I've used a small dog exercise pen, my chick brooder, even a tea cart laying on its side with the open sides and top covered in wire - all 3 sat in the run on the dirt floor.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run, run not predator proof) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.

 

[saving grace]

Do you have anything that might work similarly?

Ideally you want a wire floor to allow cool air to flow under her and cool her breast, however I've gotten away with breaking broodies without a wire floor, because I do it immediately after they start going broody. I've used a small dog exercise pen, my chick brooder, even a tea cart laying on its side with the open sides and top covered in wire - all 3 sat in the run on the dirt floor.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run, run not predator proof) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.

I'm pretty sure she will be fairly easy to break since this is her first time going broody and she doesn't seem defensive at all. I have a hutch that would be perfect (except for the fact that it doesn't have a mesh bottom) to have her in for a while. Do you think that would work?

I'll definitely try to get a wire cage but in the meantime that's the best I can do.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm pretty sure she will be fairly easy to break since this is her first time going broody and she doesn't seem defensive at all. I have a hutch that would be perfect (except for the fact that it doesn't have a mesh bottom) to have her in for a while. Do you think that would work?

I'll definitely try to get a wire cage but in the meantime that's the best I can do.

I'd go ahead and try that, best case scenario she breaks in 2-3 days in it, and if not, it gives you time to get a wire crate if necessary.

 

[saving grace]

Just one day in the pen broke her. She's obviously not a persistent broody yet, which works well for me.

This was her on the eggs.