Extreme Broody Behavior?

[No More Empty Nest]

How do I get a fan blowing under her without it kicking up dust and old wood shavings? Maybe I need to get a small one.

 

[AmyJane725]

How do I get a fan blowing under her without it kicking up dust and old wood shavings? Maybe I need to get a small one.

You could lift the crate up higher and have the fan suspended as well. A smaller one would also be a good idea. She doesn't need to be inside a tornado or anything. Just a breeze to keep her cool/keep feathers from sitting on the bottom of the crate.

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Ok, set up the fan today and wet her bottom periodically. She is eating, the food is decreasing and she is pooping. I let her out for a while to clean the crate and to set up the fan. She stayed with her little flock more than before and when she was with them doing normal chicken things she wasn't clucking. She did end up clucking and trying to get back in the run after a while. But she didn't jump at the hardware cloth. Progress I think. It's been in the 90s for quite a few days. I'm thinking of bringing the crate inside for a day or so where it's cool. Maybe that'll be the push she needs.

 

[aart]

I'm thinking of bringing the crate inside for a day or so where it's cool. Maybe that'll be the push she needs.

Maybe, but going back out into the heat wouldn't be great for her.
Drastic temp changes can do more harm than good.

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Maybe, but going back out into the heat wouldn't be great for her.
Drastic temp changes can do more harm than good.

That makes sense. I tried putting her on the roost last night...she jumped down and went into the nest box, twice. sigh

 

[aart]

I tried putting her on the roost last night...she jumped down and went into the nest box, twice. sigh

Did you do this well after full dark?

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Did you do this well after full dark?

Midnight. There are street lights and one shines slightly into the coop when I open the door, so maybe that's not helping.
Now I have one of my bantam EEs staying in the nest box day and night too. They're both going to have to just do whatever for a few days because I'm not going to be home.
They're both in a nest box tonight and I set the small feeder and water next to them. My son will push them out when he collects eggs for me. I'll watch them with the camera I have set up. I'll let you all know what happens.

 

[Conan]

I can tell you my experience with my insane little posse of Bantam Cochins. I use a rabbit hutch to break them. They usually take TWO WEEKS to break, sometimes longer. I keep food and water in there for them, but make them sit on the hardware cloth with no roosting bar. The fastest I've ever had one break was eight days.
Those girls are nuts. They are also brilliant broodies and mothers, though, should the need arise.

 

[cluckcluckhens]

Over the last seven years the girls did not want the roost so they were either laying in the boxes or on top of the boxes at night. Then we designed the roost a little different than before. Now there is a high roost and a medium height roost and they are using it now. I have one that is doing what yours is doing but she is fluffy, eats, gets snacks, runs around a bit and makes dirt bath and the other hen goes in to lay and then she goes back into the box to lay on the real egg. I have a ceramic egg that she normally sits on. When molting starts she will stop. They started molting last year in July, other years it was October. She comes out about twice a day and does what chickens do. I pet her so she doesn't think she is not wanted, and I talk to her. She has done this for quite a few years now.

 

[aart]

They're both in a nest box tonight and I set the small feeder and water next to them.

Don't feed in the nest, make them get up and eat.... they will every day or two.