Hen won't stop being broody...what should I do?

[User690263]

My 2 year old Blue Australorp keeps going broody, and I can't seem to get her to snap out of it! I've tried the method of spraying her underside and especially under her wings, but that doesn't seem to be working. Any suggestions on what I should try next?

 

[Debbie292d]

I'm the queen of broodies!

Get a portable dog kennel or wire cage to put her in with no bottom or a wire bottom. Set the cage on gravel. Give her a bucket of water and a dish of food, toss a tarp over the top for shade. Give her nothing else. It only needs to be big enough for her to stand up and lay down and room for the food/water.

This is not secure, so at night, let her go back to the coop. In the morning, if she's broody, put her back in the cage.

This should take 2-4 days.

 

[Sally PB]

I use a breaker crate for my serial broody too. I put it in the coop, so she's as secure as the rest of the chickens. The crate is up on blocks, so there's air circulation under her. There's a 2x4 for her to stand on so that her feet don't always have to be on the wires. She has her own food and water.

The crate is upside down. I have the plastic tray on the outside, bungee corded so that it stays on the top. This does two things: Keeps her from trying to get out the bigger holes and keeps the other chickens from pooping on her when they get up on the crate. Because they will get up there.

Since I've gone through this a few times, I can tell when she's "done." It usually takes 2-3 days. She stays there all day and night, and at lock up time on the 2nd/3rd day, I let her out. If she goes to the roost, she's done with her broodiness for this go around. If she goes back to a nest, she goes back in the crate for another day.

 

[aart]

Ditto the crate breaker.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

 

[User690263]

Thank you so much! I will definitely give the crate method a try

 

[MountainWoman73]

I'm the queen of broodies!

Get a portable dog kennel or wire cage to put her in with no bottom or a wire bottom. Set the cage on gravel. Give her a bucket of water and a dish of food, toss a tarp over the top for shade. Give her nothing else. It only needs to be big enough for her to stand up and lay down and room for the food/water.

This is not secure, so at night, let her go back to the coop. In the morning, if she's broody, put her back in the cage.

This should take 2-4 days.

Agree, but disagree about letting her out at night. I put my broody cage inside my chicken coop, but in a separate area without bedding or nesting material. And I leave them in there all the time for 3-4 days.