Can breaking a broody in a cage risk causing egg bound?

[GRman]

Hi All,

I'm relatively new to chicken keeping. Last year I had both my barred rocks go broody and decided to obtain fertilized eggs.

The two hens have been laying again for a month or so and one of them went broody again so I want to try break the behavior using the elevated cage method since from what I've learnt here its relatively easy and has a high success rate.

She started nesting at some point yesterday so perhaps 24-36 hours ago. She laid an egg today and continues to brood in the nesting box. I was planning to get a cage tomorrow but now I'm wondering if it's possible that trying to break her too early using this method could cause her to become egg bound?

Is this a possibility and what are your suggestions? Is there such a thing as employing this method too early? Should I be letting her out during the day to lay an egg? I seem to remember when she went broody last time that she still laid her own eggs for another few days but I can't remember how many days.

Many thanks
GR

 

[Chookchicken]

I think the risk is low-none. It’d be very unlikely for her to go egg bound. If your worried just check her vent every day. You can leave her in the nesting box for a few days, but the risk is minimal it would be fine to try and break her broodyness.

 

[Aapomp831]

They don’t lay when they’re broody. I wouldn’t worry.

 

[aart]

Is this a possibility and what are your suggestions?

Not likely.

Is there such a thing as employing this method too early?

Nope, the earlier you get them in there the faster they will break.

Should I be letting her out during the day to lay an egg?

I leave them in the crate for 48 hours straight.
Then I'll let them out just before roost time.
If they go to roost, great!
If they go to the nest, back in the crate.

 

[GRman]

Excellent, thanks for your reassurances everyone, much appreciated

 

[NatJ]

She laid an egg today and continues to brood in the nesting box. I was planning to get a cage tomorrow but now I'm wondering if it's possible that trying to break her too early using this method could cause her to become egg bound?
...I seem to remember when she went broody last time that she still laid her own eggs for another few days but I can't remember how many days.

A hen can lay an egg when she's in a wire cage. She might manage to hold it in for a bit (maybe some hours), but at some point it just has to come out, whether she has a comfy nest or not.

I'm sure you've heard of the wire cages used for commercial egg production. The hens in those cages lay eggs even without a nest. They may not like it, but they do lay their eggs even while living in wire cages.

So I don't think you have to worry about causing the hen to become egg bound if you put her in a wire cage to break her broodiness.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Even if you cage a broody very early on, while there's still an egg in the pipeline, they'll simply lay in the cage. They're not going to try to hold it in so long that they become eggbound.