Broody Experts needed..

[LJoWilly]

Einstein has gone broody on me. She exhibits all the characteristics of a broody hen now for the past 5 days. I have tried removing her several times from the nest, ice packs, etc... I bought a cage and have her in it, this evening being her first night in it. She is elevated.
My question is, I have heard to leave her in the coop, or chicken run to be around her flock mates, but I have also heard that the idea was to cool her off.....it's been so hot here lately with no relief at night. So i have decided to bring her indoors, with a fan blowing on her underside.... Is this a good idea?? My plan is to let her out daily from 6 pm-8pm to let her free range with her flock mates, then bring her inside. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

On a side note...I would give her some eggs/baby chicks to raise, but I know my coop size limit. If I had all the space in the world, that would not be a problem. Also i do not have a rooster, just 6 little ladies, whom I love dearly..

Thanks in advance,

Leanna

 

[CCinVT]

I'm interested in hearing what others say. I am in no way an expert either. I have never broke one of my girls from being Broody. They seem to have more will then me. I gave my girl a ceramic egg to sit on. Keeping her in a separate nest box but still with the flock. She eventually gave up. I kicked her off the nest once a day to eat and poop. Good luck!

 

[aart]

I am not a broody expert, but some thoughts:

Keeping her with the flock alleviates reintegration problems.
It can be harder to break them when it's hot because, yes, cooling is the point.
Bringing her inside then out then back can be hard on their systems for temperature regulation, especially if you have AC in the house.
Best to keep her with the flock if you can keep her in the shade and maybe apply the fan there. Letting her out a couple times a day can really help in this situation, if you're retired like me and can pull that off . If you are gone most the day, and can't keep her safe from the heat with the flock, then your present plan might be the best solution, but watch the temp differences - put her somewhere that is not too much cooler than outside. Hopefully she will head to the roost with the others at dusk after ranging instead of back to a nest.

 

[chickens really]

Not an expert either....
Wire crate and a fan blowing under her will cool of her belly and in a few days she should be broken.....

 

[MageofMist]

When my hen remained broody after her first chicks hatched and I had to take them due to her pecking them, I took her off the nest and put her outside with the rooster for the day and let her back into the nest at night. I did the same the next 2 days and then she started getting off on her own and eventually stopped being broody all together and started laying eggs again a couple of weeks later.

She has a new batch of chicks again now and is still broody, but that is because she is interested in the chicks this time and wants to care for them, so I am letting her look after them while supervised to ensure she doesn't squish or suffocate one. So far, she has been a really good mum towards them so I may put the brooder away and let her sit on the babies instead, saves the electricity.

 

[chickens really]

When my hen remained broody after her first chicks hatched and I had to take them due to her pecking them, I took her off the nest and put her outside with the rooster for the day and let her back into the nest at night. I did the same the next 2 days and then she started getting off on her own and eventually stopped being broody all together and started laying eggs again a couple of weeks later.

She has a new batch of chicks again now and is still broody, but that is because she is interested in the chicks this time and wants to care for them, so I am letting her look after them while supervised to ensure she doesn't squish or suffocate one. So far, she has been a really good mum towards them so I may put the brooder away and let her sit on the babies instead, saves the electricity.

Your Hen will not squish them...They do not hide right under her...They hid up in under her wings and side feathers...Broody Hens are fantastic Mothers...Yours sound great also...

 

[MageofMist]

Your Hen will not squish them...They do not hide right under her...They hid up in under her wings and side feathers...Broody Hens are fantastic Mothers...Yours sound great also...

I have heard of hens squishing chicks, but have seen how light she is on them even when they crawl under her, so I am gonna let her raise them. ^^ I was just worried as she attacked her first chicks that hatched but she is very gentle around these.

 

[chickens really]

I have heard of hens squishing chicks, but have seen how light she is on them even when they crawl under her, so I am gonna let her raise them. ^^ I was just worried as she attacked her first chicks that hatched but she is very gentle around these.

Sometimes first time Moms dont understand and then the following hatches they are fantastic....

 

[MageofMist]

Sometimes first time Moms dont understand and then the following hatches they are fantastic....

She did seem super confused over what the flib the things coming out of her eggs were. She must have thought they were breaking her eggs or something as she was quite rough with them. Plus she did go broody super soon, only 4 weeks after I brought her and her mate home, which probably contributed to that.

But she is much more settled now and is very happy to keep the little cuties warm.

 

[chickens really]

That's great....I love my Broody Hens....Knock on wood no one goes Broody again till next spring.....