Broody Hen Switching Nest Boxes Daily?

[ChickenCanoe]

That will work. She won't freak out by wire bottom because she's in a trance. When broken, she'll want to get out.
The 1/2" mesh will work. I'd remove the tray because that could limit cool air getting to her underside.

 

[Patinas]

Ok, I'll lay the mesh wire on some 2x4's for support and pull the tray out but lay it on the ground as the poop catcher. Maybe the dark tray below will give her a sense there is a bottom to it? I forgot that if I take out the tray, there is no bottom! Guess I'll just have to try this. Sounds like a project!! Geesh!

The upside will be I can observe her better if she's separated and make sure she's eating and drinking before trying to put her back with the flock. I'll have to take pics of the setup and share them on here. If this works, maybe it will help someone else at some point.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Good luck. You'll figure it out. The main thing is that cool air must continually reach her underside.

 

[Patinas]

Good luck. You'll figure it out. The main thing is that cool air must continually reach her underside.

Got it! Thanks for all the help from everyone!

 

[aart]

Would she be too freaked out if there is nothing under her but wire raised 3-4 feet off the ground?

Chances are that she will not be happy, no matter where the cage is located.
But she'll get over it. Hard to say how long it will take her to break after setting for 3 weeks, it can take longer the longer they've been setting.

Best if you can break her right in the coop, less chance of re-integration problems.

I have rigged 4 crates for broody breaking and other isolation needs.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rates-a-good-tool-for-every-chickeneer.72619/

My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop and I would feed her some crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.

Water nipple bottle added after pic was taken:

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Another downside of broodiness is the lack of eggs.
A broody will sit for 3+ weeks, then raise chicks for another month or so depending on weather. That entire time won't produce eggs.
Getting over the hormones preventing ovulation varies from case to case.

 

[Kiki]

Best if you can break her right in the coop, less chance of re-integration problems.

I agree 100% with this ^^

 

[Patinas]

Update: My daughter reminded me that she will need to use the kennel when she visits for Thanksgiving because she has a 4 month old puppy she's had for a couple weeks. So rather than use the kennel just yet, I did the following.

Yesterday I took her off the nest and put her out in the run. Only took about 5 minutes before she ran back into the coop to get on a nest. I stood in the coop for about 30 minutes blocking her from getting back on a nest. I was impressed at her persistence!

At that point I let the flock out to range and physically carried her outside. I closed the doors to the coop and run so she couldn't get back in. She was outside for about 4 hours and I did see her eat some grass but pretty much stayed by herself.

When I opened the coop to let them in at dusk, I waited until it was dark and they were all in and sure enough, there she was in a nest box so I picked her up and put her on the roost for the night.

I just checked on her and half the flock was in the run and other half were still in the coop sitting on the roost bars, including her. I was expecting she'd be right back in the nest box once it was light out...but she's not so I consider that some progress. I'll check again in an hour or so.

I'll do the same routine today as yesterday keeping her outside the coop and putting her on the roost bar at night if necessary. After Thanksgiving, if she's still broody, I will do the cage thing.

@aart Great pics! Thanks so much for sharing those and I like the idea of leaving her in the coop so I will go that route with the use of the kennel if it comes to that.

 

[aart]

I think what you're doing may well work to break her.
I just broke a pullet like that, but it was early days and she wasn't too serious.
Silly pullet hasn't started laying again tho Grrr!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sorry you are going through that hassle.
We tried to save you from that work. If you had used the cage Saturday when suggested, she'd already be broken by now.