Broody hen....cage not working...HELP!!

[Farm Chic]

Okay, tried the cage idea where I put her in and leave a gap so air can blow under her bum. It has been over a week and she is still sitting on the eggs!! Due to the heat here, I have the cage door opened so she can come and go as she pleases. Which she has, but she will go right back!

What can I do? Should I just let her be? If I let her be, how much longer do I have to wait for her not to be broody? Will she go broody again after this time?

Thank you for any advice!! I really don't like having my hens caged!! I prefer free range!!

 

[steve2495]

give her some fertile eggs!! i had a rly rly rly broody hen this year i didnt use one of those cages but i took her off the nest any chance i got. she was broody for 3 months. so good luck! when they want babies they r gonna sit and sit till they get them so easiest way out is to give her some eggs to hatch

 

[flakey chick]

I think we need to make and sell some fake eggs that are ice gel packs. That would cool down her butt. I'd grab her off the nest and walk around with her for a bit.

 

[Dirt Road]

If you're trying to "break her up" why are you leaving the cage door open so she can go back?? If you want her to stop, put her in the cage without eggs, and let her stay there for several days. Turning her loose every day to return to the nest/eggs is just reinforcing her determination.

Jim

 

[Farm Chic]

I hard boiled some eggs for her to sit on so I wouldn't have to worry about her breaking fresh eggs and then wanting to eat it! I do have roos but not all eggs laid are fertilized. Plus, I cannot have any more chicks...I would get in trouble with the township and my neighbors would be very angry!! Regardless of the free eggs that I give them!

She definitely has lots of air flow under while she sits. I have read some where on here that putting her bum in cold water helps. Does it really? What will she do when her eggs don't hatch?

 

[Farm Chic]

Quote:
I had her locked up for 4 days and she was on eggs while locked up. Should I not have put eggs in the cage with her? I opened the door because it has been way too hot for her to be locked up in the cage in the coop where the temps were in the high 80's and 90's the last several days! I guess you can say it sounds more like I was being overreactive! She doesn't go back to the nest box. she goes right back to her cage when she does come out!

 

[Uppity Peon]

She should not be allowed to sit on eggs or have any nesting material. Just bare cage wire and a decent perch to sit on. Keep her in the cage and make sure the cage is in a cool location - indoors if necessary.

 

[chseeads]

I second the above.

 

[mxpres]

I did the wire bottom cage several weeks ago,no eggs,no nesting material,just the bare wire bottom,,making sure she had plenty of food and water,I left her caged like that for four days then released her,she joined her sisters and never tried to set ,several days later she was back to giving me a nice brown egg everyday,,it worked for me,,no problem

 

[ange]

I aqm in the process of de broodying my hen. I placed her in a wire cage, it is a dog crate, onnly have food and water in it. I let her out evryday at about 3"00 for excercise, and then put her back in. Is that right? Also, whaen do you know when she ius done. It has been l day. and l night so far.