Broody hens

[rosemarythyme]

Update on Broody Ruby...
After 48 hours in the pen, she was.let out today and was acting pretty normal. Was only in the nest at an attempted egg laying, otherwise out free ranging all day. Until, bed time...instead of roosting, she was back in the nest!

We put her back in the pen, but that doesn't see like the right move.

Thoughts?

Try letting her out again tomorrow morning. She might be at the tail end of it, so close, but not yet broken.

 

[The head hen]

Try letting her out again tomorrow morning. She might be at the tail end of it, so close, but not yet broken.

Will give it a go! Thanks so much!!

 

[aart]

Update on Broody Ruby...
After 48 hours in the pen, she was.let out today and was acting pretty normal. Was only in the nest at an attempted egg laying, otherwise out free ranging all day. Until, bed time...instead of roosting, she was back in the nest!

We put her back in the pen, but that doesn't see like the right move.

Thoughts?

48 hours often isn't enough.
I let mine out a couple hours before roost time,
if they are in a nest at lock up back into the crate for another 48 hours.

 

[The head hen]

Day 3 was the answer. At roost time she went a box after being out all day. There was an egg in the box. I took the egg and booted her out of the box. She jumped on a roost and that was the end of the brood.

 

[dskowron]

We have a Wyandotte hen who's been broody for about three weeks. Prior to this she was broody for about a month, then took a few weeks off, now she's back at it. We tried breaking her to no avail. She spends so much time in the next box that the other chickens think she's a stranger when she does come out to eat drink and dust-bathe. One of the other Wyandottes picks on her constantly until she just heads back into the nest box. I realize there might be a problem. What can we do? It's getting hot out and we want her to stay outside more where it's cool under the trees in the chick run.

 

[Yardmom]

We have a Wyandotte hen who's been broody for about three weeks. Prior to this she was broody for about a month, then took a few weeks off, now she's back at it. We tried breaking her to no avail. She spends so much time in the next box that the other chickens think she's a stranger when she does come out to eat drink and dust-bathe. One of the other Wyandottes picks on her constantly until she just heads back into the nest box. I realize there might be a problem. What can we do? It's getting hot out and we want her to stay outside more where it's cool under the trees in the chick run.

Have you tried a broody breaker cage? Have you tried anything else?

 

[dskowron]

Have you tried a broody breaker cage? Have you tried anything else?

No, I don't want to cage her - it's too hot outside. She does come out of the coop a few times a day.

 

[rosemarythyme]

We tried breaking her to no avail.

If not a cage, what did you do to break her?

No, I don't want to cage her - it's too hot outside. She does come out of the coop a few times a day.

I'm a little confused. If heat is really a danger it's worse to let her just sit in a hot coop for no payout, unless it's actually cooler inside than out. In that case then there's really no difference between being in a nest box or being in a breaking cage.

You said you wanted her out in the shade, you could just put the breaker there instead.

 

[dskowron]

If not a cage, what did you do to break her?


I'm a little confused. If heat is really a danger it's worse to let her just sit in a hot coop for no payout, unless it's actually cooler inside than out. In that case then there's really no difference between being in a nest box or being in a breaking cage.

You said you wanted her out in the shade, you could just put the breaker there instead.

It is indeed cooler in the coop.