Broody hens

[Chickangel79]

I tried the ice cubes lol, I had 2 RIR broody, put two bags of ice cubes under each one and four hours later......


4 bags of warm water and 2 broody hens !!!

 

[kano]

When you have hens, it's always convenient to have a cage with wire floor, and put there the broody until her condition finish.

 

[cburgchickens]

I have a Sumatra that will not leave the box unless I lock her out. This has been going on since April! She has stopped laying so she isn't even sitting on eggs! Haven't tryed the ice. Do you think that would work or do I need a chicken shrink?

 

[mkearsley]

Well, the golf ball has been gone for two days now, I cleaned out the bedding today. She went straight back to the nest area, the fresh straw wasn't even in their for more than a couple of minutes. Maybe I'll try the ice cube method tomorrow. How many cubes should I put under her?

 

[Chickangel79]

Quote:
Do you have anyplace to separate her where she can't make a nest ?

 

[mkearsley]

Quote:
Do you have anyplace to separate her where she can't make a nest ?

No, unless I bring her inside & put her in a plastic container without any bedding........

 

[Chickangel79]

I can't say that will or won't work as I can't bring mine indoors, I have another in the isolation pen now. You could see if the ice cubes work for her x

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I would be surprised if this would work, as the idea of the wire cage without bedding is to keep their tummy area cool with air flow -- you prop the cage up so air flows underneath it.

I have never successfully broken a broody. The cage did not work; I haven't tried ice but have read mixed reviews. (At least she'd be cooler in this heat!) I just take them off the nest every time I am in the coop and get them moving, so they eat and get some exercise. And of course, they get no eggs or golf balls. It may take 6 or 8 weeks but eventually they have given up, so far.

As a rule, they lose some weight while broody. I've read that occasionally one will not get up at all and starve to death. They are more prone to get a lice/mite infestation while broody, too.

 

[mkearsley]

The past couple of days I've been picking her up out of the nest and locking all four girls out of the coop & nest boxes all day. Yesterday I had some ticked off hens, all four of them wanted back in, so I let them in for a little bit, then locked them back out. I'm hoping that doing that for a while will help. I might be able to figure out a cage with a wire bottom for her.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I give up! I am sick of broodies!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=518277