Did I just stop broody hens so easily?

[wamtazlady]

A few weeks ago I had 2 hens go broody. They wouldn't leave the nest until I kicked them out once a day. Then last week I had a third go broody. This was too much as I only have 6 hens. At the same time I am caring for a neighbor who badly broke her ankle. I have her in my home as I have no stairs that have to be climbed. I really didn't have the time to get the cage with the wire bottom out, raise it on blocks, and set it up to break the broody hens. Not having the time is the reason I did not do anything when the first 2 went broody.

I started thinking about what else I could do. Came up with an idea. Took rectangular short plastic food storage containers and filled them with ice. Figured that would cool the breasts on those hens. If they wanted to be broody they would have to sit on the cold container. Replaced the ice every day. Now it is 4 days later. All the hens are out and about doing regular chicken things. None are sitting in the nest boxes even though I took the containers out of 2 nest boxes yesterday and only left a container in the 3rd nest box.

I am eagerly waiting to see if they begin to lay again soon.

 

[The Phantom]

Thanks for sharing! I will have to give it a try

 

[wamtazlady]

I will be watching those hens to see what happens. If they haven't shown any broodiness in a week I'll figure I won this time.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sure sounds like it worked. One might be coincidence but three out of three is a bit much for just coincidence. I'm glad it worked for you.

Before a hen starts to lay she builds up a fat reserve. That reserve is mostly what broody hen lives on when she is broody so she doesn't have to be out most of the day looking for food. A broody will lose weight while broody but it's just fat put there for that reason, it doesn't hurt them. But before she starts to lay again she need to replace that reserve. The longer they are broody the longer that takes.

A broody also makes some changes to her internal egg making system so she can stop laying. It takes her a while to reverse those changes. Just something else they have to work through.

I've had a broody start laying 2-1/2 weeks after her chicks hatched. That blew me away, she hadn't even weaned her chicks. I've had some in late summer that molt while raising their chicks so it takes a really long time for them to start again. I don't know how long it will take for yours to start again, each one is different. I wish you luck on them staying broken and on laying soon.

 

[aart]

I started thinking about what else I could do. Came up with an idea. Took rectangular short plastic food storage containers and filled them with ice. Figured that would cool the breasts on those hens. If they wanted to be broody they would have to sit on the cold container. Replaced the ice every day. Now it is 4 days later. All the hens are out and about doing regular chicken things. None are sitting in the nest boxes even though I took the containers out of 2 nest boxes yesterday and only left a container in the 3rd nest box.

Brilliant flexibility!

 

[AquaDuck]

Nice! Inventive and easy.

 

[wamtazlady]

It's been 2 weeks since I tried this with my broody hens. They are all back to laying and none have returned to being broody. The experiment was a success!!

 

[Tico Chickens]

Sounds like a great idea! Problem is our hens are sort of "wild", and sit all over the garden. But I will try to get these two in cold water just to start. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[suepewlew]

A few weeks ago I had 2 hens go broody. They wouldn't leave the nest until I kicked them out once a day. Then last week I had a third go broody. This was too much as I only have 6 hens. At the same time I am caring for a neighbor who badly broke her ankle. I have her in my home as I have no stairs that have to be climbed. I really didn't have the time to get the cage with the wire bottom out, raise it on blocks, and set it up to break the broody hens. Not having the time is the reason I did not do anything when the first 2 went broody.

I started thinking about what else I could do. Came up with an idea. Took rectangular short plastic food storage containers and filled them with ice. Figured that would cool the breasts on those hens. If they wanted to be broody they would have to sit on the cold container. Replaced the ice every day. Now it is 4 days later. All the hens are out and about doing regular chicken things. None are sitting in the nest boxes even though I took the containers out of 2 nest boxes yesterday and only left a container in the 3rd nest box.

I am eagerly waiting to see if they begin to lay again soon.

This is brilliant!
I am new to this game and did not recognize that my girl was "broody". So I will be a few days late trying to correct her. I am looking forward to trying this. I don't have a cage to use as I have read in other places.
I am curious to see if she will move to the other box...

 

[AntiqueB]

Smart! I have to keep this in mind if (when) I got a broody!