Help with stubborn broody :(

[layla93]

Hi!

I'm hoping someone could help us! We have an allotment in the north east of England and have some chickens. One of our chickens went broody about 2 weeks ago. As soon as we noticed we kept taking her off the nest for two days but that didn't work so out came the broody box! We let her out every night for a stretch and some food but she kept going straight back to the nest until Saturday. On Saturday we let her out and she wondered around for 5 or 6 hours so we left her out that night, only to come back on Sunday and she was back on the nest!

Since then, when we have been going to feed the chickens she is in the broody box but is pacing back and forth rather then 'nesting' but again keeps going back to her nesting spot.

Does anyone have any other advise on what we can do? I don't want her to sit much longer because it's so cold and she's losing weight. We would be happy to give her some chicks but we are going on holiday over Christmas and a relative is looking after the chickens for us so we don't want them to have the added responsibility of a new chicken mum and babies in the middle of winter.

Thanks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Put her in the broody box and leave her. Pacing is fine, it's good exercise. Feed and water her in the box. Leave her for 3 days. Let her out and see. Some stubborn ones take 5 days but most take 3. You are prolonging it by letting her out, try not to feel bad, she will be warm enough and needs to cool down to break the broodiness, she will be okay.

 

[azygous]

If you want this broody broken, the only way to do it is to leave her in her broody box until she's over her hormones. You can test her by letting her out and seeing if she rejoins her mates or runs to a nest. If it's the latter, then she needs more time in the box.

Ignore the pacing. She's doing it strictly for your benefit, trying to manipulate you into releasing her so she can get back to a snug nest.

To test this, observe her when she can't see you. I am pretty certain you will find that she's resting calmly and quietly when you are out of her sight.

Never underestimate a broody's ability to con you.

 

[layla93]

Thank you both for your answers! Yes, we will leave her in the box for a few days and then let her out maybe on the weekend and see what happens.

I was saying yesterday that we got 'punked' by her on Saturday when she was walking around for hours. Very smart creatures. Thanks again, hopefully in a few more days she will be back to normal.

 

[Lil Peeps]

I've heard that putting them in wire cages works. It cools their brood patch and helps break the spell. I've never tried it. Havent gotten a wire cage in time. Ice water sure doesn't work though tried that on a broody a couple years ago in the summer.

 

[Lil Peeps]

I think that the advice you got on here was pretty good! Especially about the brooders tricking you, haha.

 

[chickens really]

I am dealing with a Broody myself.....She has gone Broody twice in three weeks.......I catch her the first day and into the Broody breaker for two days.....She is a Bugger for sure......It is nice and cool in my garage so she breaks quickly.....I can not wait till spring to let her try to raise some Chicks......Until then she will drive me NUTS!! LOL!!



Cheers!

 

[layla93]

Oh dear! I hope mine doesn't continue to go broody over the winter. I'll have my fingers crossed for the spring so we can have some babies running about. Good luck to you! Thanks to everyone for your help.