Curing hens of brooding

[RawDaddy]

My searching skills maybe lacking so if this question has been answered sorry for the repeat. I have 10 hens, and yesterday 2 of them started to brooding literally at the same time. My question is how does one cure them of this behavior? There’s no rooster, and wasn’t planning on having anymore chicks for awhile, seeing that we just got a few new ducklings. Haven’t seen much on this question other then putting a fertile egg and let it hatch. What are some other methods? Or do I just let nature run it’s course?

Thanks for all your thoughts.

 

[azygous]

Letting nature run its course when a hen becomes broody is an unnecessary drain on her general health when you don't need to have her hatch eggs,

The only reliable method of breaking a broody is with a broody cage, an open mesh bottom wire dog cage. If your two hens gets along, not something guaranteed when broody, they may occupy the cage at the same time.

Place the cage in the middle of the most activity during the day. Food and water should be provided and shade if the run is not covered. The hens must not be allowed to go back to a nest or to roost at night on a perch. Air must be allowed to continually circulated under the broodies and this cools their body temp down so the broody hormones eventually stop. It takes about three days and maybe two nights in the cage.

The final test as to whether the hen has been broken is to let her out and watch if she returns to the nest. If she does, she needs another day in the cage.

 

[RawDaddy]

Thank you so much, sounds like great advice I’ll definitely give it a try. Can two hens be put in the same cage?

 

[azygous]

Yes

 

[RawDaddy]

Thank you again.

 

[aart]

Putting both in the same crate might work, or it might not, all you can do is try.
My crates aren't big enough for 2 birds, and luckily I've not had 2 go broody at the same time. I've just had 5 broody events in the last month, luckily they were staggered enough not to have to set up anther crate.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire(1x2) on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

After 48 hours I let her out of crate very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate for another 48 hours.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor, gives the feet a break from the wire floor and encourages roosting.

 

[RawDaddy]

So you’re saying no bedding at all, no straw or anything which will hopefully cure them of their broodiiness. I have a pretty large run which I can section an area off for the two of them. It has a touch of straw, not much mostly dirt. Should I clear all the straw out of that area? Or should I put them in cages up on 2 x 4’s?

 

[aart]

So you’re saying no bedding at all, no straw or anything which will hopefully cure them of their broodiiness. I have a pretty large run which I can section an area off for the two of them. It has a touch of straw, not much mostly dirt. Should I clear all the straw out of that area? Or should I put them in cages up on 2 x 4’s?

The bare wire is what works best, so they can't hunker down on anything solid to keep the belly warm.

 

[RawDaddy]

Ok that makes sense

 

[Waffle Wattles]

The brood cage works, close the nest boxes up at dusk and let her feed with the rest and roost. If she winds up in the reopened nest box the next morning, back in cage. Repeat until she doesn't immediately head for nest boxes in the morning