broody chicken

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I live i ga so i just went and put my three girls outside. I closed the door to the inside coop but left the outside door open so if they get scared they have a place to run to. Im hoping getting them outside with fresh air will get rid of this broody behavior.
 
americanchicker said:
Thank you! We've had a break in the weather its between 30s and 40s so I guess this wknd would be a good one to put her in the cage, i've just been afraid of the silkie getting cold in the single digit temps we've had all winter, not huddled with the rest of the gang. I guess I can have hubby construct a cage and hang it from the coop ceiling as we're cleaning it out. You recommend the 5% Sevin over the DE?
Click to expand...

DE works as a deterrent. Once there is an infestation, don't fool around. Fix the problem.
 
I have never had any luck with broody cages or even the broody dunk in cold water. When the hormones really get going in some hens, there is no stopping them. And trying to break them can actually cause depression in the hen. I have found that by just letting the broody hen sit there, on nothing, getting her out of the box several times a day, she gets bored with it. At least that is how it goes in my flock. Among my other broodies, I have one hen that is very a determined broody that every year starts in with the broodiness in May and doesn't stop until September. On and off she goes broody. I have tired in vain to break this broody with the cage method, cooling her brood patch in water, locking her up some place away from the coop...and nothing. She will set anywhere, any place. She will even brood the roost bar!!! LOL But I found if I just let her do her thing, she will set for about 10 days, and start back laying in a few days. She will go broody again a couple weeks later, only to set another 10 days and go right back to laying. When I attempt the breaking method, she refuses to lay at all. So at least I get SOME eggs out of this broody in the summer.
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Good luck with your broody!
 
Your results may vary. The cage is the traditional method. We've been using it for many decades - even before I was born. That was before dirt.

Some are very persistent. The taking them out of the nest a few times a day is both time consuming and doesn't cool the underside sufficiently.

A long term broody produces no eggs or chicks and compromises her health.
 
TwoCrows said:
I have never had any luck with broody cages or even the broody dunk in cold water. When the hormones really get going in some hens, there is no stopping them. And trying to break them can actually cause depression in the hen. I have found that by just letting the broody hen sit there, on nothing, getting her out of the box several times a day, she gets bored with it. At least that is how it goes in my flock. Among my other broodies, I have one hen that is very a determined broody that every year starts in with the broodiness in May and doesn't stop until September. On and off she goes broody. I have tired in vain to break this broody with the cage method, cooling her brood patch in water, locking her up some place away from the coop...and nothing. She will set anywhere, any place. She will even brood the roost bar!!! LOL But I found if I just let her do her thing, she will set for about 10 days, and start back laying in a few days. She will go broody again a couple weeks later, only to set another 10 days and go right back to laying. When I attempt the breaking method, she refuses to lay at all. So at least I get SOME eggs out of this broody in the summer. :)

Good luck with your broody!

Thanks I have been kicking her out if the coop the past few days but others are picking. On her she just runs away and hides. Feel bad for the poor girl hope everything goes back to normal soon!
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