Broody?

[ThreeOfSeven]

Just leave her in there for a few days and nights, then let her out late in day.... if she goes back to nest, put her back in crate for a couple more days.... if she goes to roost, she's broken.

She was still behaving broody, but I just let her out in the yard with the other girls. She's out there flapping her wings and thrilled to be in the yard again! Hopefully, in an hour or so when the girls go to roost in the coop, she'll join them. <fingers crossed>

 

[aart]

I just removed the broody breaker from the coop, last time(2nd) I did that she went broody again within a couple days...my fingers are crossed too, I really hope she's over it this time.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Checked the backyard and my broody girl was MIA. Found her in the coop up on the roost, while the others still frolicked in the yard (total 5 spoiled hens). <not normal> Earlier this evening, I blocked the nesting boxes. It's sort of tough extracting her from the nesting box, and when I did that before, she opted for the bedding on the coop floor. Good news is that she's up on the roost. Bad news is that she's still growling at me. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I suspect it will be back to the broody crate for a few more days.

 

[aart]

Earlier this evening, I blocked the nesting boxes.

Not a true roosting test unless the nests are open.
They are hard to get out of nest, mine have 10" dia entrances,
but back opens wide to gather eggs, so that's how I take them out.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Not a true roosting test unless the nests are open.

She behaved exactly as I expected this morning. Stayed on the roost while my other girls gobbled up a breakfast treat of kale, grapes, blueberries, etc. I had to work a couple hours this morning, and she was back in one of the nesting boxes when I got home.

Her first time in the brooding box was 4 days. How long this time? Her feathers are fluffed out, and she still growls when I touch her, etc.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just keep her in there until she's no longer puffed up, growling, etc. 3 days is average but I've had it only take 2 days, and I've had it take 5 days. After she's no longer showing obvious broody signs you can test her by letting her out and seeing if she runs to the nest box or not. She won't be laying for a little while after being broody so she shouldn't be in the nest box at all after she's broken.

 

[TheChickChick805]

Yes, that is broody behavior. Do you want her to hatch eggs or do you want to break her from being broody?

How do you break a chicken from being broody? I thought you can only give her chicks to get her out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How do you break a chicken from being broody? I thought you can only give her chicks to get her out.

The previous posts on this thread explain broody breaking.