Broody Hen

[Eggsakly]

I've only been keeping chickens for three years, and I'm no expert at all. This is just info, and not suggesting you are incorrect about your chicken. I have bantam Brahmas and bantam Wyandottes. I've had both breeds appear to go broody at a young age. What was actually happening is that they were hiding. They were unhappy with someone or multiple someones in the flock. In early December my first hen to go truly broody did so. She was 18 months old and had been laying about a year. I gave her eggs, and on December 30th she hatched out three beautiful chicks.

 

[CJP]

I've only been keeping chickens for three years, and I'm no expert at all. This is just info, and not suggesting you are incorrect about your chicken. I have bantam Brahmas and bantam Wyandottes. I've had both breeds appear to go broody at a young age. What was actually happening is that they were hiding. They were unhappy with someone or multiple someones in the flock. In early December my first hen to go truly broody did so. She was 18 months old and had been laying about a year. I gave her eggs, and on December 30th she hatched out three beautiful chicks.

Thanks so much for your feedback. She is definitely broody. If she is out of the small cage she will walk around the run and pick up dried grass any flyaway straw even gum leaves and put them on her back. She even picks up bits in the dirt and calls her imaginary babies. It is quite heartbreaking to watch

 

[CJP]

Your "jail" won't work ... WIRE CAGE will work but needs be be elevated at least a foot off the ground so air can circulate under her. Put her food & water in the cage, keep the cage in the coop. The longer she's broody, the harder/longer it will take to break her, I know went through this with 3 Blue Wynadottes last year. When they went back to their owner they went broody, she let them hatch which still didn't break them. She tried breaking them but it got too much work so she rehomed them.

You're in Australia so while our/USA weather is cool, you're in the Summer so it's warm & that's when they go broody, the warmth. I've heard of some putting ice under her, I've read about the cool baths but I know the WIRE CAGE elevated works, if necessary put a fan to cool her underside off.

IF you must rehome her, there are those looking/wanting broodies to hatch their eggs. Good luck.

Would something like this in bottom of cage help

 

[Nimueh Alene]

Cool bath Neighbor swears by it.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Would something like this in bottom of cage help

Not really unless you some how get it off the ground ... Cool air MUST flow under it/her but it's better than on the ground like you have her now. Perhaps putting your "jail" on top of this (acting as the "floor") but raise this "floor" off the ground with some lumber (2x4, securing the whole thing so it can't tip over).

 

[CJP]

Not really unless you some how get it off the ground ... Cool air MUST flow under it/her but it's better than on the ground like you have her now. Perhaps putting your "jail" on top of this (acting as the "floor") but raise this "floor" off the ground with some lumber (2x4, securing the whole thing so it can't tip over).

Thank you

 

[ChickNanny13]

Good luck & hope it works

 

[5BeachHens]

You do not need to do ANYTHING cruel like a wire bottom cage or a cold bath. All she needs is to be separated from the nesting boxes. Bring her inside for a few days to a week. Let her imprint on the nesting area fade. You'll know when she's ready to go back outside. She will start making her normal noises, be more eager to eat, etc. All of these cruel techniques piss me off.

 

[gocgo]

I have been in your shoes. I tried breaking a broody multiple times and each time, she would be fine for a bit and then go right back to being broody whether there were eggs under her or not. I finally caved in, went to Tractor Supply and got some chicks and stuck them under her. She raised them just fine. So, what do you think about getting a couple chicks from a neighbor and sticking the little fellas under her after she's been there a few days? She could potentially be raising her replacement.

 

[lomine]

You do not need to do ANYTHING cruel like a wire bottom cage or a cold bath. All she needs is to be separated from the nesting boxes. Bring her inside for a few days to a week. Let her imprint on the nesting area fade. You'll know when she's ready to go back outside. She will start making her normal noises, be more eager to eat, etc. All of these cruel techniques piss me off.

OP has already tried just separating the hen from the coop/nest boxes and it hasn’t worked so I fail to see how bringing her inside would make a difference.

Please explain what you think is cruel about putting her in a wire bottom cage for a few days or giving her a cold bath. Neither of these techniques does any harm. They might be a bit unpleasant for the hen but it’s important for her own health not to let her stay broody.

OP has already stated that there is no room for new birds and no market to sell them later so she can’t be allowed to brood eggs or raise chicks.