Broody silkie

[Noraaaaa]

Hello! My silkie hen is currently broody. I cant seam to break her! I have put her in a cadge, sprayed water on her belly, removed eggs and more! What else could I do? Thank you!

 

[DesertSilkieHen]

Oh gosh, silkies are SO persistent! How long has she been broody for? I usually remove their eggs, repeatedly lift them up off their nest/wherever they're broody, and sometimes block off access to the place they've fixated on. After I've done all that, it usually takes several days for them to eventually stop being broody. I haven't found that cooling on their bellies does anything, though it's supposed to. Good luck!!

 

[2ndTink]

Some of my silkies are much harder to break than others.

How long did you put them in the cage? You will want them on wire to get some cooling under them, since it's winter, just be wise about this. I've had to leave them in a cage for two weeks before, every time I'd put them back in the coop they'd go straight back to the nesting box and settle in, so back into the cage.

With it being winter just make sure the cage isn't a freezing death trap.

 

[Noraaaaa]

Oh gosh, silkies are SO persistent! How long has she been broody for? I usually remove their eggs, repeatedly lift them up off their nest/wherever they're broody, and sometimes block off access to the place they've fixated on. After I've done all that, it usually takes several days for them to eventually stop being broody. I haven't found that cooling on their bellies does anything, though it's supposed to. Good luck!!

She’s been broody for 3 weeks now… thanks for the ideas though!!!

 

[Noraaaaa]

Some of my silkies are much harder to break than others.

How long did you put them in the cage? You will want them on wire to get some cooling under them, since it's winter, just be wise about this. I've had to leave them in a cage for two weeks before, every time I'd put them back in the coop they'd go straight back to the nesting box and settle in, so back into the cage.

With it being winter just make sure the cage isn't a freezing death trap.

She’s been in there for a few days. I have her in my heated garage that is about 70!

 

[2ndTink]

She’s been in there for a few days. I have her in my heated garage that is about 70!

Ok, it might take 2 weeks, just be careful returning her outside if it is significantly colder out there. She'll be acclimated to the lovely 70 degrees.

 

[Delphene]

Hello! My silkie hen is currently broody. I cant seam to break her! I have put her in a cadge, sprayed water on her belly, removed eggs and more! What else could I do? Thank you!

Take her for a car ride for like 10 minutes or so.

 

[SFalpaca]

Take her for a car ride for like 10 minutes or so.

What does going for a car ride do? I have a young Silkie who hasn't started laying or stealing eggs, but she's broody. So reading all the suggestions.

 

[Anny K]

I have a silkie who consistently goes broody about every 3 weeks, even through the fall and winter. It's becoming very difficult to deal with and I don't know what I can do to stop this behavior. We have no roosters and I pull eggs VERY regularly (multiple times a day). She is currently broody with no eggs under her. I have tried ice packs, doesn't work. I pick her up out of the nesting box several times a day and place her far away in the yard but she always runs right back. I can't cut off access to only her because it will block the other hens from laying in there. My only option is to put her in broody jail (a wire cage with her own supply of food and water). It usually takes a solid 2+ weeks to break her each time. It then takes her about 2 weeks to start laying again. And then a week or two later she goes broody again and I have to start the process all over. She seems to live half her life in a cage and it breaks my heart. Is there anything I can do for her to prevent this from happening so regularly?

 

[three_grannies]

I have a silkie who consistently goes broody about every 3 weeks, even through the fall and winter. It's becoming very difficult to deal with and I don't know what I can do to stop this behavior. We have no roosters and I pull eggs VERY regularly (multiple times a day). She is currently broody with no eggs under her. I have tried ice packs, doesn't work. I pick her up out of the nesting box several times a day and place her far away in the yard but she always runs right back. I can't cut off access to only her because it will block the other hens from laying in there. My only option is to put her in broody jail (a wire cage with her own supply of food and water). It usually takes a solid 2+ weeks to break her each time. It then takes her about 2 weeks to start laying again. And then a week or two later she goes broody again and I have to start the process all over. She seems to live half her life in a cage and it breaks my heart. Is there anything I can do for her to prevent this from happening so regularly?

I have a silkie who is exactly the same, and I am at a loss on what to do! I worry about the impact on her health. If anyone has any suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated!