Dumb chicken won't stop brooding

[Rainbows]

I'm watching my dad's chickens while he's out of town, so I'm not exactly an expert. One hen, Helga, just won't stop brooding. My dad said to keep her in the coop for a few days and that that would break the habit. I've tried this several times, but either the day I let her out or the day after, she starts brooding again. I'm worried about Helga, I don't know if she's getting enough food or water and her stomach is losing feathers. This has been going on for several weeks.

 

[DarthCareBear]

They will lose stomach feathers when they go broody. When I worked on a turkey farm we used to put brood birds in a pen with misters on them all day(like rain) then put them back. That seemed to help about half the time. I don't know if that woild work for chickens but it might. Also locking her in the coop wouldnt do much good cuz thats where she lays her eggs. Broody birds just want to hatch eggs and raise chicks. I dont have a lot of chicken experience but I have 4 years of poultry experience. Might get another opinion

 

[Rainbows]

He said to lock Helga up there because she actually prefers laying in some bushes across the yard than doing it in the coop. This has worked before, but she's being extra stubborn this time.

 

[DarthCareBear]

Then hes right. Do you have a dog kennel or something unfamiliar you could lock her in for a few days? Changing the environment is the best way to shock them out of it

 

[Rainbows]

No, we don't.

Is there anything else I can do? Should I just keep her in there extra long?

 

[DarthCareBear]

Are there windows in the coop? You could try limiting her daylight period to about 6 hours a day and limiting her food as well. This may shock her system into laying again. Dont worry about starving her, they can go almost a week without food. Id just give her a small scoop every day

 

[dawg53]

Put her in a cage or crate for a week. Ensure she has food and water in the cage and change the litter as needed. I had to do that to one of my stubborn Light Brahmas I used to own. I kept her in the garage away from the others while breaking her broodiness, it worked.

 

[JackE]

I use a wire bottomed cage, that I hang in the coop to break the broodys I have. The important thing is that the cage has a wire bottom, and it's hung up so cooler air gets under the broody. Usually, three days in the broody buster is enough to stop it. But since yours has been broody for weeks, I would leave her in there for a full week. Be sure to put small water and feed containers in there.