Constant Brooder.

[Mosey2003]

Yeah, I just wanted to show you what they are/look like. Most places that carry nest boxes and such should carry these.

 

[Ribh]

lol My coop has built in nest boxes but people whose coops don't build their own out here. I can't imagine paying for something so easy to knock up yourself, though I'm sure some people do. I would have to do some investigating.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I agree with Aart 100%

Some girls WILL brood themselves to DEATH... I NEVER let a pullet sit as her body and mind are still maturing... Allowing an EXCESSIVELY broody hen to brood as SHE pleases... is just bad management to me.. inviting parasite, disease, AND predation...

YES... 100% broody IS contagious! It spreads like wild fire to other broody prone gals AND occupies lay boxes.

And if feeding LAYER to a KNOWN excessive broody... and allowed to continue on her path... that's going to be problematic in the long run for her health. Someone who allows ANY hen to sit 5 plus times per year DOESN'T care about the hens individual health in my opinion. Yes, it's hormonal... NO the hens don't control it... BUT I AM the parent... and I make decisions in the best interest of the individual bird... but it MUST also be taken into account what is best for my flock AND ME the keeper... This is MY hobby, and MY life, and if it isn't working for ME... then it ISN'T working... period.

Yes some of my hens will brood back to back clutches every third egg without exaggeration... ALL throughout the year... and THOSE ladies tend to have mini molts during brooding thus NEVER entering an actual winter molt... maybe that offsets some of the egg loss.

Like Aart... I rehome those girls... I can stand using a breaker now and then... but I didn't start keeping chickens so they could be in a cage... In fact the broody's BROKE me and sold off ALL of my Silkie breeding stock! Good riddance.

I've been almost 2 whole months without a broody!

Some is nice... excess of ANYTHING is NOT.

I NOW only use the wire bottom kennels in the evening time and have found open bottom kennels for day time use to be EQUALLY effective.

Good luck!

 

[Ribh]

EggSighted4Life: Thank you. This particular hen is a little underweight I think; she certainly doesn't weigh as much as my other Rocks so definitely want her eating & drinking normally.

I don't have a cage. As I said I've never had a broody before. What I have been doing is denying her access to the nesting boxes & putting her out forcibly with the rest of the flock to free range. It took a couple of days but did the trick. I was hoping she'd grow out of it as she matures as in all other ways she is a wonderful bird: gentle, social, a great, consistent layer when not broody who lays a good sized egg.

 

[aart]

I don't have a cage. As I said I've never had a broody before. What I have been doing is denying her access to the nesting boxes & putting her out forcibly with the rest of the flock to free range. It took a couple of days but did the trick. I was hoping she'd grow out of it as she matures

Tossing them out of nest/coop can work, especially with younger birds.
I predict she will go broody again.
Good to have a crate, whether you have broodies or not,
they come in mighty handy if when you need to isolate a bird.
Can find 'em pretty cheap(~$10-20) at yard sales or flea markets.

 

[Ribh]

Yes. I actually live on a small island so finding one then getting it here isn't quite so straightforward. I would pay more in cartage than for the cage itself. I will ask round the island. You never know &lots of us keep a few chickens.

 

[aart]

Yes. I actually live on a small island so finding one then getting it here isn't quite so straightforward. I would pay more in cartage than for the cage itself. I will ask round the island. You never know &lots of us keep a few chickens.

Ah, yes, that makes things difficult.

Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Ribh]

Ah, so that's where it is!!! Lovely. Will do.

 

[dalasgalas]

HOHOHO!!! I just got over this with Penguin O'Tool. What a PITA. Chicken jail works.

 

[dalasgalas]

OhBoy...BTDT...it's a PITA.
Had one last summer I broke 7 times, after her hatching in March..SMH.
I finally gave her away to someone who wanted a broody.

Keep breaking her, I use a crate in the coop or run or had to move her around yard to stay in shade during heat waves. I actually think moving her around sped up the breaking process.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.
View attachment 1619923

This chicken jail cracks me the hell up. That chicken looks seriously upset.