Broody hen ***Update***

[cricketmt]

We have 2 bantams and 2 other hens. One of our banties has become very broody. She's pulled her breast feathers out, she hangs out in the nest box most of the time and she does the fluff and squeal at us when we gather up the eggs.

Recommendations? We have no roo so no babies possible which is fine with me. But I'm concerned about how long this might go on. She does come right outside when I open up the pop door every morning and she's out and about at other times during the day.

We are down to 3 eggs per day, so I'm assuming she's not laying anymore.

Will she come out of this on her own?

 

[becks1984]

Hi,
One of our bantams goes broody VERY often, when she first did it I posted on here and everyone was so helpful, there were loads of suggestions but we went with using a dog crate in the end to break her out of her broodiness, we put her in there for 3 days usually with food and water and that seems to do the trick. Sometimes she goes back to the best after but if we kick her out once then she seems to snap out of it. Good luck

 

[Teila]

Howdy cricketmt

She may come out of it on her own, but if she does not, there is the risk of her continuing to be broody, losing weight and condition and in some circumstances broodying herself to death.

This is the reason people make a decision to break their broody’s. If you search ‘how to break a broody’ there are many threads or posts with various methods.

I believe the most popular method is to put them in ‘broody jail’ which is a wire bottom crate, allowing air flow to cool them down and no signs of a nest. Anywhere from a couple of days to a week and they are usually broken.

Some people recommend a dip in a cold bath to drop their temperature; I have not tried this and probably will not.

Another option, even though you do not have a rooster, is to let her hatch some chicks. Fertile eggs can be purchased from breeders etc.

 

[cricketmt]

Thanks. Guess if she goes much longer we will try broody jail. Its too close to winter to hatch babies at this point so it might just have to be jail. Guess we could put her in a crate in the garage for a few days!

 

[aart]

Best if you can keep your broody jail right in the coop and/or run instead of out of sight of the flock, or you may have re-integration problems.


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 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 bottle was added after pic was taken.

 

[cricketmt]

Best if you can keep your broody jail right in the coop and/or run instead of out of sight of the flock, or you may have re-integration problems.


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 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 bottle was added after pic was taken.

I don't have a wire crate...though may end up getting one. Would a regular plastic dog crate work? We do have a number of those. How big should it be? The banties are tiny (literally, one is named Tiny), less than half the height of my Buff Orpington hen. Cass, the broody girl, is probably no more than 10 inches tall when she stands, if that. It takes 3 of her eggs to equal one large egg.

We're supposed to get some warm weather again this week after a nice 3 day rain in the 50's and 60's, we'll be back into the 70's. If I do this, should I then move the wire crate outside in the morning? Or should I leave her in the coop?

 

[aart]

I think the wire bottom is essential for a broody breaker cage, tho I had to add smaller wire to the bottom after taking the tray out but can still use tray if needed.
Wire crates are a great tool for a chicken keeper, I have several and use them for multiple tasks.

Size of broody cage is dependent on size of bird, they should be able to stand up and walk around a bit.
I live mine in the coop, but my coop is big and airy, it wasn't that hot when I had her in there and I'm kinda lazy.
But no reason you can't move breaker cage outside during day if it's shaded and raised off ground.

 

[cricketmt]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll be looking for a small crate to use for a breaker in the next few days. She still comes out to eat and drink a number of times during the day, but has otherwise gone a bit nuts, and has removed a lot of her breast feathers which I've read is a sign that she's serious. we'll get the broody jail together this week!

 

[cricketmt]

Update! Got the new crate today...she's not happy with us at all. The rest of the hens are so confused...they're so funny. We'll have it outside during the day and in the coop at night. I gather I let her out once a day to see what she does, right?

 

[aart]

Update! Got the new crate today...she's not happy with us at all. The rest of the hens are so confused...they're so funny. We'll have it outside during the day and in the coop at night. I gather I let her out once a day to see what she does, right?

That looks great! You'll be glad you have that crate in the future.
I'd trim or bend over those sharp points in the HC.

You can keep her in there 24/7 or let her out once or twice a day.
Maybe first day leave her in, then let her out when convenient after that,
best to watch her while she's out and get her back in the cage the minute she goes back to the nest.