Broody

[Tom90]

Hi i am new to chickens and one ofmy hens has gone broody. I can't be home during the day to keep her out of the coop so I have built this small area in the shed to isolate her untill she snaps out of it and was wondering if it should be fine? Cheers tom.

 

[Chookchicken]

Looks good. The only thing I would say is that for her sake I would move it into their run (which doesn’t look possible). But It is purely an option. Apart from that it looks good.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as she's safe from predators and extreme heat/cold then the enclosure is suitable. Ideally she'd be in line of sight of the other birds at least part time, or else if she's gone too long (some broodies take longer to break than others), she may need to be reintegrated back in as you would a strange bird.

 

[Tom90]

Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately I leave for work when it is dark and have an automatic door to let them out when it is light so I wouldn't feel save leaving her in their open run. However I could put her in a smaller cage that I made from some wire shopping baskets and place that in the coop tomorrow morning before I go to work. She wouldn't have access to the run but the other 2 would see her when they went in to lay. Would that be suitable?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately I leave for work when it is dark and have an automatic door to let them out when it is light so I wouldn't feel save leaving her in their open run. However I could put her in a smaller cage that I made from some wire shopping baskets and place that in the coop tomorrow morning before I go to work. She wouldn't have access to the run but the other 2 would see her when they went in to lay. Would that be suitable?

I'd give that a try for a day and see how it goes (to make sure she's comfortable enough in there to eat and drink, and that the makeshift cage is secure enough).

Otherwise the shed set up for now, and if she breaks in 2-3 days that should be short enough that you won't need to reintegrate, though the others may harass her a little on her return.

 

[21hens-incharge]

What breed is the hen? Some breeds are incredibly hard to break.

A stubborn broody will simply sit on the wood in the edges or bust past the netting to return to the chosen nest.

 

[Tom90]

What breed is the hen? Some breeds are incredibly hard to break.

A stubborn broody will simply sit on the wood in the edges or bust past the netting to return to the chosen nest.

Australop, she tried to break out at first and bashed around but then calmed down and when I went and had a look before she was sitting on the plastic mesh thing quietly.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Australop, she tried to break out at first and bashed around but then calmed down and when I went and had a look before she was sitting on the plastic mesh thing quietly.

I LOVE Australorp. A favorite breed here.

They have been a bit easier to broody break for me. I hope it works for yours.

You might have better luck if...

You put her in an elevated cage (just on blocks is enough) with no solid surface to sit her bottom on. It will allow better airflow under her. In the middle of the coop will help her feel more exposed and even less likely to plop down and brood.

 

[aart]

I'd be concerned she, or another bird, might get hung up in the cloth mesh.

 

[Tom90]

Hi thanks for all your advice i ended up putting the cage in the coop and left her in it for 2 days. I let her out yesterday morning and has been active since. I have seen her sitting down on the ground out side a few times but hasn't been going to the nesting boxes. Roughly how long should it be untill she begins laying again?