tawhoney
In the Brooder
- Aug 7, 2021
- 3
- 2
- 12
I need help. I have spent the last two weeks trying to break my Brahma hen from her broodiness, and nothing is working.
Here is what I have done so far:
Taking her from the coop and putting her outside with the flock multiple times a day-She goes right back into the coop after she has cleaned herself and eaten treats and food.
Dunking her bottom in cold water a couple of times throughout the day and putting her outside with the flock-After she dries, she goes right back into the coop.
Sitting in my run for 3 hours, keeping her from going into the coop, and allowing my other hens to lay-After I left, she went right back into the coop.
Put her on the roosting bar at night-Jumped down in the morning, and right back into the nesting box.
Removing all nesting material-Picked a spot with no nesting material and sat.
Closing the coop for a day (which is hard because I have my other hens that need to lay.) After opening it for the night, she went right back to the nesting box.
Closing the nesting box-She went to another one.
Putting her in a wire cage that is elevated to allow airflow below her-She brooded in the cage!
Putting ice packs under her in the cage-She sat on the ice packs and brooded!
She continues to be broody! She is VERY determined! She is currently in her cage with food and water. Today is the third day of her being in the cage, which was in the coop. Today I have moved the cage outside in the run and the shade, so she is still with the flock. It is elevated to allow airflow underneath. I plan to leave her in it overnight in hopes that it will snap her out of it. I don't know what else to do.
This is also the second time she has been broody since April. I allowed her to sit once and hatch a couple of eggs the first time she was broody. When we had our big heatwave shortly after she hatched her babies, she almost died because her body was still strengthening due to sitting on the eggs. I'm worried she is going to have the same problem. I'm in northern AZ, and we are still at 90-100 degrees heat each day. I am ensuring she has lots of food and water, but she is still only eating and drinking once a day.
Sorry this is so long, but as you can imagine, I am at my wit's end trying to figure this little momma out. So if you have any suggestions, please share.
Here is what I have done so far:
Taking her from the coop and putting her outside with the flock multiple times a day-She goes right back into the coop after she has cleaned herself and eaten treats and food.
Dunking her bottom in cold water a couple of times throughout the day and putting her outside with the flock-After she dries, she goes right back into the coop.
Sitting in my run for 3 hours, keeping her from going into the coop, and allowing my other hens to lay-After I left, she went right back into the coop.
Put her on the roosting bar at night-Jumped down in the morning, and right back into the nesting box.
Removing all nesting material-Picked a spot with no nesting material and sat.
Closing the coop for a day (which is hard because I have my other hens that need to lay.) After opening it for the night, she went right back to the nesting box.
Closing the nesting box-She went to another one.
Putting her in a wire cage that is elevated to allow airflow below her-She brooded in the cage!
Putting ice packs under her in the cage-She sat on the ice packs and brooded!
She continues to be broody! She is VERY determined! She is currently in her cage with food and water. Today is the third day of her being in the cage, which was in the coop. Today I have moved the cage outside in the run and the shade, so she is still with the flock. It is elevated to allow airflow underneath. I plan to leave her in it overnight in hopes that it will snap her out of it. I don't know what else to do.
This is also the second time she has been broody since April. I allowed her to sit once and hatch a couple of eggs the first time she was broody. When we had our big heatwave shortly after she hatched her babies, she almost died because her body was still strengthening due to sitting on the eggs. I'm worried she is going to have the same problem. I'm in northern AZ, and we are still at 90-100 degrees heat each day. I am ensuring she has lots of food and water, but she is still only eating and drinking once a day.
Sorry this is so long, but as you can imagine, I am at my wit's end trying to figure this little momma out. So if you have any suggestions, please share.
