Broody screaming in cage....help!!

[JLS]

I have been struggling for weeks with a Buff Orp hen who has goon broody. I have consistantly taken her out of the box several times per day & putting her on the roosts at night and still she's broody! I had read on this forum somewhere that I should put her in a wire bottom cage for a few days. I put her in a cage about 20 minutes ago. She's in panic mode.... screaming and frantically trying to get out. I put the cage inside the coop with her own feeder and waterer.

The rest of my hens are screaching too now. How long will this last?? Am I doing what I am supposed to??? Help me please, she's breaking my heart

 

[macmama]

I tried the wire cage with my BO with the same result... and I live in an HOA neighborhood, so I couldn't just let her scream.
I ended up giving her a bath in cool water-- I just held her on my lap and soaked all of her except for her head. (It is 110 degrees here though-- I've heard chickens can get colds in colder weather if they get wet)
Anyway, it worked for me! I soaked her and let her go back to her nestbox, but an hour later she was out and didn't go back. For the few days after she would spend a little too much time in the box after laying and I gave her a few more mini-baths. Hope it works for you too!

 

[JLS]

Quote:
I would love to do that but I live in Maine and it has been rather cool as of late - 67F during day and low 40's at night, raining and windy too. I was hoping to get her over this sooner rather than later. But I guess I may have to wait until better weather?? I just wish she'd calm down!

 

[macmama]

Sorry. Can you bathe her then keep her inside in a cage until she dries?

SOOOO jealous of the weather by the way. I would kill for some rain... or a temperature in the double-digits.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I know it sounds cruel, but the wire-bottom cage is really as thorough as you're going to get. When you have broodies as determined as your hen, there's only so much that can shake them. I can't imagine she'll keep this up forever. Perhaps put a sheet over the cage so she becomes more relaxed. I find that very often with chickens (especially broodies) out of sight, out of mind.

 

[JLS]

Quote:
I guess I could do that. Hopefully she'll dry quickly- lol. Our weather has been so strange! In the begining of May it was pushing 100F!! Then the fires in Canada came. I live in S. Maine and yet last week the air was hazy and we could smell smoke!! The news said that it was because of the wild fires in Canada - amazing!! Now our temps are below normal.

 

[JLS]

Quote:
I'll try the sheet first, hope she calms down. Thank you!