How can you tell when the broodiness has ended

[christineavatar]

I had a hen go broody and I tried EVERYTHING. I finally I put her in an old dog crate with the bottom cut out if it. I put frozen items (from a 'keep cold' pack) under the cut out bottom. I fed her and kept her there for the better part of a week. She kept making all the 'broody' sounds and kept acting broody. I finally gave up and let her out. That is when I discovered that she was no longer broody.

So how does one tell that the broodiness is over? I missed it.

 

[peepblessed]

Maybe it was a coincidence.

 

[Illia]

When they stop laying on the nest for so long.


They'll keep making that broody sound for a few more weeks though, trust me. And the 'tude may keep up too.

 

[christineavatar]

I had thought that the sounds the hen was making indicated that the broodiness was continuing. I took her off the nest and put her in a 'de-broody' box with no bottom. Are you saying that you just put her in there for a night or two?

 

[Niss]

When they quit hanging with the babies and start laying again! Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

[christineavatar]

Do you just put the bird in there for, say, two days and then let her out with no physical signs that the broodiness has passed? I tried something similar to that early on in her broody phase. I kept her up in a bottomless cage with food and water for several days. I didn't use any ice and when I let her out she went right back to the nest boxes and sat there. Do you just put her there for two days and then let her out?