Broody Hens and what to do?

[katplitt]

I have a hen whose been in the nest for over a month. Most days she gets off for an hour and eats and drinks. I tried the crate method but it didn't seem to make any difference. As soon as she got out she was back in the nest. This the second time she's been broody in her first year.

 

[bobbi-j]

I have a hen whose been in the nest for over a month. Most days she gets off for an hour and eats and drinks. I tried the crate method but it didn't seem to make any difference. As soon as she got out she was back in the nest. This the second time she's been broody in her first year.

How long did you leave her in the crate?

 

[Angie NS]

I constantly have broody hens. So much so that We built a space with a screen door in the coop with a perch and nothing else to put them in until they snap out of it. Each day, I let them out but not in the coop and they free range, either with the rest of the chickens or by themselves. It usually takes three days for them to get back to normal. If I let them brood too long, they were starting to get unhealthy and they were discouraging the other layers by taking up the nests. Also, when one goes broody, the others seem to follow suit more often. I will post a pic of my coop set up. They can see the rest of the flock and are protected, so I don't have to feel bad or worry....

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

My Blue Americanas have all gone broody and I have chicks everywhere. We have been putting all chick feed out along with water. Their mothers are doing a good job taking care of them. In this weather, there was no need to hatch them in the incubator, their mothers are doing a great job on their own.

 

[aart]

I think it's about three inches square. I'm using a dog crate.

Way too large of holes.
Best to line that with smaller wire, I use 14ga 1x2 cage wire.
Like this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rates-a-good-tool-for-every-chickeneer.72619/

..or you could turn the crate over and use the top as the bottom.

 

[Scrambles55]

Have you thought about giving her a baby chick?? That's what I do.

 

[CuzChickens]

So if it is so difficult to break a broody hen, do you I'd be safe moving my two broody hens who have been at it for over a week now to a safer spot for raising chicks and they probably won't stop? I don't want to break them, but they are broody in my main chicken coop and I want them to have a bit of seclusioin so the rest of the flck doesn't kill the chicks.

 

[kathrynkathykate]

My girl Molly goes broody every once in awhile. She goes into the rabbit hutch with food, water and a small roost. Nice airflow all around to cool her underside and she is usually ready to rejoin the rest of the girls in about 3 days. If she beelines for the box, I just put her back in her jail for a few more days until she's ready to behave.

 

[mimoo1234]

So I bit the bullet and put my Buff in a Broody cage all day yesterday, however I couldn't have guarantee'd she would have been safe in the run all night in a crate, so I blocked up the nest boxes in the coop last thing and put her in there on the perches with the rest.

I let them all out this morning and she ran out like a normal chicken! however I wasn't risking it and have put her back in the crate again and will do the same tomorrow, but so far i am very pleased with the turn around this morning . And she didnt try to attack me, Yay!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Using a crate is not mean IMO. When broody, a hen eats and drinks significantly less than normal. Over time, this leads to a loss in condition and can result in the bird being more susceptible to illness. Extended broodiness is not a good thing. When a bird decides to stop being broody can vary. I have read here on BYC that some birds can literally starve themselves to death as a result of being broody (this may be an exception, but you get the idea).

If possible the crate should be inside the coop. If not, then its a case of ensuring that your run is predator proof and that the crate is protected from rain / sun. I'd imagine that the higher the crate is elevated off the ground, the safer your birds will be.

Not only can a hen damage her health by extended brooding, but there is also the problem of the bloodsucking red mites. A brood hen is actually in danger of dying from blood loss caused by blood sucking mites. What good is a dead free range chicken? Also the problem of a mite overload or population explosion that is caused by a brood hen who turned herself into a 24 hour food bar for mites.