Cant break my broodies!!

[JLS]

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I tried to give her my chicks when they were just babies but she attacked them... I was very disappointed with her to say the least!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Quote:
I tried to give her my chicks when they were just babies but she attacked them... I was very disappointed with her to say the least!

a broody need to be broody at least 2-2 1/2 weeks to take chicksand they need to be less than 3 days old

 

[JLS]

Quote:
Has that worked for you? Would I have to remove them from the coop or just give them a private box? I have noticed that they are very aggressive with my 9 week old chicks! If one of the little ones gets anywhere near them they'll lash out badly. Oddly, the broodies tolerate the older hens and even share their box.

it has worked many times, and yes they will if given the chance, kill or hurt your younger chicks, its a not mine, go away thing, if you have a different area it would be the best

Ok, I'll try it. I'm desperate at this point. I am assuming that the broodies can be together w/ seperate "private suites - nest boxes" as long as there are no other hens to mess with them, right?

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

yes, just don't let them in the same box

 

[Sweetpeaswan]

I had a very broody black cochin, she was driving us crazy... every time i found her in the box, i took her out and gave her a cool bath
in the outdoor sink.... In the heat of Arizona and its been a hot one, she seemed to enjoy it and perk up. we went through this routine
for three days, and shut her away from the nesting boxes, and she came out of it pretty well. Our birds are all so wonderful and differant.
Just see what works best for you and good luck

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
I tried to give her my chicks when they were just babies but she attacked them... I was very disappointed with her to say the least!

a broody need to be broody at least 2-2 1/2 weeks to take chicksand they need to be less than 3 days old

I've had broody's take chicks when they've only been broody for a few days and also given them chicks that are over a week old. That being said you are a lot more likely to get the outcome you're looking for if you follow the above advice. It also works much better if you stick the chicks under her at night. I mean under her too, if you just put them in front of her many hens will attack the chicks, but if you lift her up, put the chicks under her and get the flashlight turned off she'll likely trance back out and wake up in the morning delighted to be a momma.

The thread pasted below is a really good one on breaking broody hens. There are lots of different methods described, but the one that has worked well for me is putting the hen in a large, raised wire bottomed rabbit hutch. It's never taken more then a few days and doesn't require constantly taking the hen off the nest or closing off nesting boxes. A hutch is a good investment too because with very little modification it can be used as a quarintine pen, chicken hospital, or second stage brooder. Good luck with your girl!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=181289&p=1

 

[Sunny Side Up]

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I agree, and that's why I'm always on the lookout for such things in people's discard piles. I've found several that way. My favorite is a parrot cage made of thick wire that has its own wire stand. You can also post a request on your local FreeCycle, or see if you can buy one inexpensively off Craigslist or at yard sales.

 

[bowmanspeeps]

I have three broodys, going to try the cage method, but all the hens have stopped laying! If I get the broodys under control, will the others start laying again?

 

[PippyChicken]

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one!! We've like 6 or 7 this summer!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

I just broke four very persistent broodies by penning them up together in my brooder pen....no roosts, no nests, no good bedding, no food...just water. They already weren't eating any food, so it didn't appear to hurt them to go without it.

I penned them up each morning and let them out again in the evening for food, water, to walk around. If I found them in the nest again come bedtime, I just isolated them in the broody pen again. It took about 3 days of this routine but it finally broke every broody.

My broody pen is situated where they can see the rest of the flock but cannot be with them....I think this must have been a deciding factor. Before I tried this but provided them with food and water....this was far too comfy. Then I tried it with just penning them up in the day. Didn't work. I think it was the nighttime penning in the cool night air without a nest under them that finally did the trick.

My egg production is starting to climb again.....