Broody Hen just wont break. Any other ideas

[Michael Propst]

I have a 15 month old Golden Wyandotte that went broody 6 days ago. I have had her caged now for 5 days and every time I let her out she runs around the yard for about 10 minutes and then heads right back into the coop. In the past I have had hen's go broody and the method I use has broken them in a day or 2. This one is just plain stubborn any other ideas. I am including a picture of how I have her caged, the kennel is off the ground with a wire floor and all she has is food and water. Thanks for any advise that has worked for you.

 

[aart]

OhMan...BTDT...it's a PITA!
Do you let her out every day...multiple times?
Might keep her in there 24/7 for a few days.
Might want to toss a length of 2x4 in there to give her feet a break from the wire.
Might try moving that crate around during the day....my last long breaker was during a heat wave and I had to move her to keep her in the shade, I put crate right on the grass, I also tossed a frozen liter bottle of water in with her(not sure that did much) but I think the 'change of scenery' from moving her might have had an affect.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

You could also try soaking her tummy in water before putting her in the cage. Someone told me the cooling effect under them from being wet can help to break the broodiness faster.

 

[aart]

You could also try soaking her tummy in water before putting her in the cage. Someone told me the cooling effect under them from being wet can help to break the broodiness faster.

Good idea.....if it's hot out.

 

[Shadrach]

I take it her nest was in the coop?
Are other hens using it to lay eggs in?
Are there other nest boxes that are also in use?
Can you close the coop if necessary without endangering the rest of the flock?

 

[Acre4Me]

@aart has good suggestions.

Once a stubborn broody broke herself bc we decided to try to let her hatch eggs. We removed her from the flock to a brooder with safe nest and some fake eggs -just to see if she would settle on this nest. We opened pop door to the main run, but had a fenced off area for her, so rest of flock couldn’t invade her space. This distressed her -she paced the fence within 2 days -not broody. And this hen had successfully brooded fake eggs 2x before (then she got some chicks to raise, and did an awesome job). So, I think that moving location/scenery/environment might help.

Btw, that same hen is broody again!! Can’t decide if we’ll let her brood bc we want to get 10-12 meat chickens in a bit, so we might use her for the first 1-2 weeks to raise them....maybe.

 

[Michael Propst]

I take it her nest was in the coop?
Are other hens using it to lay eggs in?
Are there other nest boxes that are also in use?
Can you close the coop if necessary without endangering the rest of the flock?

Yes she is nesting in the coop. I have 3 nest boxes and she is using one of them. Closing the coop off is not an option as the others need access to a place to lay.

 

[CCUK]

When I've had a broody and it's too hot for them to cool down, I'll put her in my garage where its cooler and put a fan on her. I'm guessing yours has finished being broody now though. It may help for next time!

 

[Acre4Me]

Lol... I now have 3 broody hens and only 4 nest boxes!! Good grief.

I removed one hen (16 months old, never broody before), and placed her just outside of the coop. I think she was announcing to the world how horrible I was, and the injustice if it all!!! She squawked loudly for about 5 min- standing very tall and just squawking nonstop, with a wide variety of sounds and inflections, so I can only imagine what she was saying.

One that is 10 months old is grouchy-growls, etc. lashes out at others when I remove her from nest.

The experienced broody (16 months old, and 4th or 5th time she’s been broody, and has adopted 2 batches of chicks and raised them) is just an old pro. Doesn’t complain when I toss her out. Stays fluffed up and races around run, drinks, eats, poops a ginourmous poop, races around some more, then goes back to sitting.

Lol-I really need to break at least one, maybe 2 of them. Might have to try the separation in the brooder for a couple of days. Maybe a cold bath. Two of them only just got broody a few days ago.