Broody Hens - I’ve tried EVERYTHING

[JacinLarkwell]

My 3 sebrights were diehard broodies this year. It was too hot for their little bodies to do that so long. So I plucked the three up, put them in a my wire bottom hutch and they broke in about a weekish.

 

[deviflux]

The butt dunk in water did the trick! My broody gal has been roaming with the rest of the flock all week.

 

[RMBailes]

My gals have always been a broody bunch but this unusually hot summer is unreal. I’ve got 3 broody Buffs. Buff One (the lowest in the pecking order and always easily prone to broodiness) has been broody since early MARCH! I’ve tried everything that worked in the past but she is stubborn and won’t break. Two months ago another Buff joined her. She has never been broody and might be even more stubborn than the first gal. Again, nothing has worked to break it. This week a third Buff joined her. Nothing I am doing is working! My last and only option is to block the nesting area off from ALL my hens, but I’ve been reluctant to turn away and confuse my remaining layers.

HELP! Aside from all the obvious options, what can I do to break this?!

Possibly related question - why do my layers bully my broody hens when I pull them off the nest? They instantly zero in on them, run at them and peck the crap out of them. Is that normal or am I dealing with an out of control pecking order that is causing broodiness?

I have put mine in a cage for a few days and that worked. I also collect eggs immediately after they lay them. It’s easy for me because I only have 5 chickens.

 

[sourland]

Completely blocking access to the nest site by any means will eventually break broodiness. 3 days away from the nest site accomplishes nothing. The reason the flock attacks broody hens is because their demeanor makes them appear like strangers.

 

[Lil TexHens]

When a hen goes broody I put her in the tsc small coop that’s in the run, with water and feed. In the afternoon after the other girls have laid I close up the lay box (which is a large garbage can on its side) by turning the opening to be against the coop wall and then let miss broody out. She paces and ticks and all of that. She eats out of the regular feeder bin - usually she ignores the feed in the tsc coop. At night she usually roosts but if she doesn’t it doesn’t matter. In the morning she’s pacing by the closed off lay box. I pick her up and put her back in the tsc coop. Open up the lay box for the other girls. In the afternoon I close up the box, let miss broody out, rinse and repeat until she no longer beelines it to the nest box. This is what I found to be easiest and doesn’t upset the flock order and regular routine.

This is what I do as well!

I use a wire broody cage, with feed and water, and cage the hen first thing. Once everyone is done laying for the day, I block all the openings the nesting boxes. I let my broody out so that she can be with flock and even roost with them at night. I will leave the nesting boxes blocked overnight. At first light, I put my broody back in her cage with her feed and water. Then, I unblock the nesting boxes. Rinse and repeat. It usually only takes 3 days to break them

 

[sourland]

This is what I do as well!

I use a wire broody cage, with feed and water, and cage the hen first thing. Once everyone is done laying for the day, I block all the openings the nesting boxes. I let my broody out so that she can be with flock and even roost with them at night. I will leave the nesting boxes blocked overnight. At first light, I put my broody back in her cage with her feed and water. Then, I unblock the nesting boxes. Rinse and repeat. It usually only takes 3 days to break them

A logical and sensible approach. Somewhat labor intensive, but I understand why it works.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The butt dunk in water did the trick! My broody gal has been roaming with the rest of the flock all week.

Great news! Keep that trick filed away for the next one!

 

[Judy Todd]

Caging requires time. Most of my broody hens require 3 days + 3 nights in the wire bottom cage, which is in my basement where it is cooler. This is IF I get them caged right away, as in day 1. I had one that took 5 days.
They have food and water in the cage. I place a little fan blowing directly on the hen. This hen below, has gone broody once a month since April. Three days in jail, and she’s back to normal until next month.....I did let her hatch eggs last year. But I don’t want more chickens at this time.
View attachment 3182005

I agree, I have never been successful trying to break them in the henhouse. You need to bring down their temp, most important. And the amount of days to break will depend on how long they have been broody, usually 2 to 3 days for each day of broodyness.
I have a time out pen in the back corner of the barn, cement floor, I know it is not as good as a hanging cage, but it works for me. I do put a little fan on her also. If she does not eat, I give her treats, eggs, berries, something special, like kale from the garden. Good luck , It is hard on them to be broody all the time, so try to break her.

 

[Judy Todd]

I had one who would NOT break - we're talking WEEKS in broody jail, ice, fans, etc. I even tried giving her chicks. Nope. She rejected them and went right on brooding. What finally worked was setting up broody jail in my bathroom. I think being completely out of the coop worked.

I agree with that , yes the separation is part of the trick.

 

[Lil TexHens]

A logical and sensible approach. Somewhat labor intensive, but I understand why it works.

Honestly, I feel like it’s less work than removing a broody from the nest several times a day, for several days in a row, before she eventually breaks. I just set the broody cage in the coop directly under an existing fan. Put her in with water and food; they clip/hang onto the cage. Oh, and the cage is collapsible so makes for easy stowing. I’ve never had to do the cage for more than 3 days.

The thing I love the most is that there is no reintroduction to flock since she roosts with them at night. I use corrugated plastic to cover the opening to the nesting boxes. It’s quick to install and remove.

But I get it… what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another.