dumb question about a broody hen

[OrpingtonManor]

Thanks for responding. She is doing much better today. Her comb is no worse than yesterday, and the blood is dried. She is eating and drinking.

She wasn't banging her head on the top, but on the sides when she was first in the cage. Sadly, I can't give her more space. She does have enough room to stand up just fine, and can walk from one end to the other and turn around. The cage has to go in the coop, and anything larger would crowd the others too much.

I live in the city, so space is really at a premium. There is no barn, and my garage is full of tools, pianos and lumber.

I will try to give her some time to free range this weekend, and just lock up the coop. Hopefully the others won't peck at her comb. They have never pecked each other before, so I am hoping.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
don't you think that letting her freerange will defeat the whole purpose of locking her up in the first place?

 

[OrpingtonManor]

It sounds like you think it will be a bad idea to let her free range. I'm not sure I understand your reasoning. My understanding was that locking her up was to keep her from nesting, to cool her down. Why do you say that free ranging will defeat the purpose of the lock up?

Bluey responded that he breaks his broodies by keeping them out of the coop when they free range. I can easily close up the coop and keep all the chickens outside during the day this weekend.

I am trying to follow all of the advice here as best as I can. Everyone seems to have a slightly different method for breaking a broody. I'm trying to prevent access to the nesting box, or even the shavings on the bottom of the coop, since she could nest in it.

I also don't want to hurt her by keeping her in a pen that is really small if she would be better off outside. She will have to be back in the cage when I go to work on Monday. I'm hoping this doesn't last too long.

If you think letting her free range this weekend will prolong this situation, then please tell me why. I will completely consider what you are saying. I definitely don't have all the answers. That's why I'm here asking the questions.

 

[bluey]

For breaking broodies, a hen only has to be kept off a nest. They don't necessarily need to be locked up or jailed. The important factor is that access to the coop nesting boxes or a similar nesting area has to be denied.

My broody was only allowed in the coop at night and I evicted her every morning. It usually only takes a few days for them to be "broken". Since my chickens free range all day, she had total access to the yard and could have theoretically nested in the woods, but she didn't since there were no eggs out there and she had stopped laying due to her broodiness.

Folks with coops/runs have to take other measures to break a broody. Many of these folks choose to use some sort of a separate area or cage. I can't speak to this, since I have never done it.

In my experiences, limiting access to the nesting area for a few "days (daylight hours only)", has been enough.

Some breeds are broodier than others and may need more extreme measures but I certainly have not experienced this.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Thanks bluey. I appreciate the follow up.

I know that BOs are prone to broodiness, so maybe they need more extreme measures. We will see.

I liked your idea of closing off the coop during the day because I like my girls to free range whenever I am home. It seemed harsh to deny my broody that same freedom when the goal was just to keep her out of the nest/nesting material. Yet, I definitely need to do whatever it takes to stop this cycle in her.

I bought the biggest cage that would fit in the coop, but jacyjones thought it was small. She may be right. I'm not trying to be cruel, so I want to let Tatertot out if it doesn't interfere with the goal. I would have loved to give her a cage as beautifully large as the set up Moderator Dawn had, but there just wasn't space.

When jvls1942 posted his question, it felt like he was saying I didn't know what I was doing. That's entirely true. I don't. This is my first time with chickens and my first broody. I just need the folks here to share their experiences with me, not slap me around. I am totally open to learning.

Most everyone has given me solid suggestions. To those who are helping me figure this out, THANK YOU!

I know that a broody hen is a common problem that probably seems like a no-brainer to many people. However, I am posting the ongoing process because I couldn't find a thread that detailed what to do about a broody hen. Now, if someone searches on "broody hen" they can find suggestions from all of you. Again, thank you!

 

[jvls1942]

this is my last word on this thread.
I am always being accused of being cruel, uncaring or slapping people around.. not true.. I am blunt and to the point .. many people take it as being rude..

I am only giving my opinion.. what you do with it is your choice..

Your cage is not too small...

the more you keep her in the quicker she wil get over being broody..

a hen can nest anywhere, especially Buff Orps.. so if they are in a run or free ranging they will find a comfortable spot.. I had one nest right under the drip edge of the machine shed on rocks the size of your fist. I could not convince her to move and she finally hatched all of her eggs..

I noticed on this site that many decisions are made with the heart instead of with the head.. but that is a whole different thread..

 

[OrpingtonManor]

jvls1942, thank you for the information in your last reply. This is what I needed. As the saying goes, it's not what you say but how you say it.

Your previous post asked a question, with no actual information. The information was hidden in that way, as if to say, I should already know the answer. I wouldn't have posted the question if I already knew the answer.

I'm sorry you aren't going to post on this thread anymore, since you have more experience than I do, clearly. I don't mind blunt and to the point.

Have a great weekend.
Edited to clarify which jvls1942 post I was referring to.

 

[LemonBalm]

Someone here once suggested I freeze a bowl of water, pop thatslab of ice out of the bowl and put it under a broody hen I needed to STOP being broody. I think I only needed to repeat that process 2 or 3 x and it did the trick!

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Maybe next time I'll try the ice first. It might be easier.

Thankfully, Tatertot is back to her old self. She is freeranging, eating bugs and weeds, and taking dirt baths. She spent the night uncaged in the coop, and did not show any signs of returning to her broodiness. It might be awhile before she lays any eggs again, though. No worries there.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I learned a lot.

 

[Chicken Rox]

I want to thank you all for your comments on the broody hen. I read through them all yesterday and it really helped. I am new to the forum and have lots of "dumb questions."
I am trying the, lock out of the nest during daytime, for a starter. If that doesnt work I will try the ice in the nest trick. Though that does sound a little mean. My poor silly Hope is trying to hatch unfertilized eggs and we keep stealing them away from her. It is good to know that her broodiness will come back and make her a good mother, sometime in the Spring when it is warmer!