Broody jail doesn't have to be a small crate, I've used a 4x4 exercise pen before and it worked just fine (lots of pacing though, since there was room for it). So since you're dealing with 2 birds here, I'd toss one in the small crate and one in the big.
Pretty much as soon as she gets back into laying she'll start sliding right back into broodiness yet again.Broody jail doesn't have to be a small crate, I've used a 4x4 exercise pen before and it worked just fine (lots of pacing though, since there was room for it). So since you're dealing with 2 birds here, I'd toss one in the small crate and one in the big.
I have a bird that just got broken for the 3rd time this spring/summer. She's slow to break too, like 4-5 days each time.
Not comfortable as she wishes. I agree.
Do you have room in the run for the bigger cage? Or do you free range? My preference is having the breaker in the run, though if it's not predator proof it would be safer to remove the hen at night and put her on the roost. It may take longer to break her that way, but better than being eaten.
Haha well at least my serial broody has now broken... just in time for another bird to go broody.
I share your pain. I have a Buff Orp that's been doing this for 3 years. she acts demented. she will be broody sitting in shavings, no eggs needed. And multiple times per spring. Other than what you suggested, I dunk her in water too to cool her off.I have 2 broody pullets --both went broody about 15 minutes after laying their first egg.I break them and within a few days they're right back at it. And they convince each other to be broody together which is super annoying because I only have 3 nesting boxes and one broody jail. They are currently sharing the cell which is not good because it's not THAT big but I couldn't keep them both out any other way and the other ladies are getting anxious. It's making me (and the other girls) crazy because they're in there screeching and scaring everyone else away. I'm finding eggs all over the coop and run which never happens but the poor other girls just can't get in there. Both are just shy of 9 months and really good layers when they can stop trying to be mommies for a hot minute. Is this just how they're going to be forever? Can I expect the same next spring from them? They are lovely little ladies most of the time and lay really pretty eggs (one is an Ameraucana and the other an Olive Egger). But this nonsense has to end. I've tried broody jail, ice packs under them, bringing them in the house to keep them away from the boxes. Help!!
Oh, my gosh, don't say that's even possible. As I started looking into this issue I keep seeing that Legbars are supposed to "rarely" go broody, but it appears that Missy didn't read the manual. Getting her chicks or hatching eggs is out of the question as I think I'm at my limit with just the four. Right now she's in broody jail that's just a raccoon trap until I can jigger something else up. I certainly don't want to keep having to do this!I have a bird that just got broken for the 3rd time this spring/summer. She's slow to break too, like 4-5 days each time.
