Broody, Broody

[alwaysthere4chickens]

Any ideas on how to break a broody? We have tried so much to get our hen to stop being broody. I have put her in a wire cage for 3 days and she still won't break. Thanks for any advice!

 

[rosemarythyme]

2-3 days is the average, but it can take longer if the bird was sitting a while before you started breaking, or if you're needing to let her out (like at night, for safety reasons).

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Any ideas on how to break a broody? We have tried so much to get our hen to stop being broody. I have put her in a wire cage for 3 days and she still won't break. Thanks for any advice!

Sometimes you can fill water bottles with water, then freeze them. That’s what I usually do before the broody cage. I just use plastic pre filled water bottles. I’ve only used this method a few times though.

 

[aart]

Any ideas on how to break a broody? We have tried so much to get our hen to stop being broody. I have put her in a wire cage for 3 days and she still won't break. Thanks for any advice!

Was the wire cage raised off the ground?

After 48 hours let her out of crate very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate for another 48 hours.
Repeat until she's done.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

Sometimes you can fill water bottles with water, then freeze them. That’s what I usually do before the broody cage. I just use plastic pre filled water bottles. I’ve only used this method a few times though.

So you put ice bottles in all the nests @Lemon-Drop ?

 

[alwaysthere4chickens]

We have her in an old rabbit cage, and it's raised pretty high.

 

[VeryHappyHens]

Any ideas on how to break a broody? We have tried so much to get our hen to stop being broody. I have put her in a wire cage for 3 days and she still won't break. Thanks for any advice!

I have no idea I usually encourage broodiness and get very excited when my hen or duck is broody

 

[alwaysthere4chickens]

We already got our chicks this year and we don't have any eggs for her to hatch.

 

[VeryHappyHens]

We already got our chicks this year and we don't have any eggs for her to hatch.

Or your could keep her broody but buy baby chicks from your local feed store since it is chick days and trade her air for chicks. Sometimes when I get baby chicks and my hen is broody she will sit on air and ill buy her chicks but I mainly let her hatch my roosters eggs tho.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Was the wire cage raised off the ground?

After 48 hours let her out of crate very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate for another 48 hours.
Repeat until she's done.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.
View attachment 2648726



So you put ice bottles in all the nests @Lemon-Drop ?

My broody only stays in one box, always. Even if there’s eggs in another box, and I remove the eggs from her. So I just put the frozen water bottles in one box, the one my broody is in. I guess it would be problematic if the broody moved around then you would have to put water bottle in all the nesting boxes, which would make it hard for the hens that need to lay.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Or your could keep her broody but buy baby chicks from your local feed store since it is chick days and trade her air for chicks. Sometimes when I get baby chicks and my hen is broody she will sit on air and ill buy her chicks but I mainly let her hatch my roosters eggs tho.

They already got the chicks they needed, there's no reason for her to brood.