Broody Girls

[Sandra Verbreyt]

I am going nuts with my broody girls.
They are still broody and its now been nearly 4 weeks. Ive tried broody jail but I have a question on that. When I put the two girls into broody jail (which they really are not happy about by the way) do I keep them in there overnight also or can I let them return to the coop in the evening? How long is it best to keep them in broody jail?
My friend provided me with 2 fertilised eggs for them to sit on which should be due to hatch on 1st July. Nothing seems to be happening there yet. Is it ok to take the girls off the eggs sometimes to ensure that they eat and drink. Im so new to all of this I dont want to do anything wrong and upset my girls. So any advice at all on broody jail or sitting on eggs will be much appreciated. My girls are free range and have the free run of the garden which is quite big but like I have explained at the moment they just want to brood. PLEEEEEEASE anybody help. The photo is of my broody jail. I hope it is ok to put them both in there. I will be eternally grateful for any advice.

 

[Ribh]

If they are sitting encourage them off the nest @ least once a day to eat, drink, poop, & dustbath.

I keep mine in broody jail for 3 days overnight but you may get the occasional super stubborn one that won't break for anything. I had an Aracauna who had only just started to lay go broody on me for 6 weeks. She was a nightmare. I'm on an island & getting fertile eggs is pretty impossible so no point in her sitting. If they head straight for a nest when let out pop them straight back in jail.

Some hens get quite aggressive when broody so if you are worried about getting pecked wear a pair of sturdy gloves. For what it's worth, mine usually loose interest once the weather cools down. Good luck with it all.

 

[aart]

I'm confused.
You ask about how to break them in a broody jail,
here and in another thread,
then say they have fertile eggs to sit on?

When you break a hen of being broody, you put them in a wire bottomed cage raised off the ground with no bedding, and no eggs. Just feed and water.
Your's shown may not have enough air circulation all around.

When you want a broody to hatch, you give her a cozy nest with thick bedding and fertile eggs in a safe place to set and incubate.

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

I'm confused.
You ask about how to break them in a broody jail,
here and in another thread,
then say they have fertile eggs to sit on?

When you break a hen of being broody, you put them in a wire bottomed cage raised off the ground with no bedding, and no eggs. Just feed and water.
Your's shown may not have enough air circulation all around.

When you want a broody to hatch, you give her a cozy nest with thick bedding and fertile eggs in a safe place to set and incubate.

MY broody girls did not have any eggs. A friend of mine gave me two fertilised eggs from her chickens. My girls are now sitting on those. The eggs are due to hatch about 1st July so I am waiting in anticipation to see what happens. If the eggs dont hatch then my girls will have to go into broody jail for a few days and overnight also. I will raise the jail a bit highter off the ground to encourage more air circulation. Thankyou for your advice.

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

I'm confused.
You ask about how to break them in a broody jail,
here and in another thread,
then say they have fertile eggs to sit on?

When you break a hen of being broody, you put them in a wire bottomed cage raised off the ground with no bedding, and no eggs. Just feed and water.
Your's shown may not have enough air circulation all around.

When you want a broody to hatch, you give her a cozy nest with thick bedding and fertile eggs in a safe place to set and incubate.

When in broody jail is it right to leave them in there overnight also?

 

[Ribh]

When in broody jail is it right to leave them in there overnight also?

Yes. Make sure they are safe but they stay in jail overnight too.

 

[rotagen]

The water soak method works on all my faverolle hens...and they seem to thank me for it...they stay calm the whole time but that breed is sweet.. a bit noisy though, talkative. I use a camping cooler about 2 feet by 16 inches and about 18 inches deep...the water has to be cool, not super cold..which this time of year requires a bit of ice (melted in it first). Hold them down in it for about 5 min, which is usually when they try to escape. Make sure their butt and lower half is in the water...they'll just cluck softly. Takes 2 dunks occasionally, I do 1 day apart.

Now my Isbar is supremely stubbornly broody at only 9 mos old...dunked her 3 times and she was calm in water but screamed bloody murder when she was fed-up. Didn't work for her. I just can't do the jail thing... just seems too cruel and unnatural so I give up with her...at some point they'll give up and eat...she'll sit there with nothing under her.

Anyways, the water dunk is easy and worth a try... it lowers their fever enough to break them (sometimes).