How do I break Broodies?

[MamaMarcy]

2 of our 3 hennie pennies (bantam cochins) decided to take over a clutch of duck eggs and mixed their own in as well...the turkey and one of our standard girls ate the eggs...it's been several days of no eggs and the ducks got up but the pennies are still sitting there. What to do??

 

[MamaMarcy]

anyone??

 

[Morabilityranch]

anyone??

I have a hutch that is off the ground with rabbit wire bottom that I use to change my hens minds on setting.. I put them in there and put nothing in there but a perch they can roost on nothing that seems comfy enough to try to set again in , food water and leave them in there a few days I turn them back out and watch to see if they go back to coop to set or not... if the try to set again I repeat process for a few more days, most will snap out of it by day 3 or 4 some are harder headed about it and it takes longer.

 

[Imp]

I think you could toss them off the nest and remove it., then lock them out of the coop. (assuming they are in the coop) Might take several times.
I've seen it posted that putting them in a wire bottom cage helps. The idea is to cool off their bottoms/undersides.
And dunking their bottoms in cool water.

I found the first suggestion worked for me. Not a lot of broodies here, but I just pulled her off the nest several times a day, for a few days. She gave up.

Imp

 

[harveyhorses]

I would be a LOT more concerned about the Turkeys and standard eating the eggs. Separate them or you might never get an egg.

 

[MamaMarcy]

No concerns about the egg eating since they were only eating the eggs as they got close to hatch and they ate them all so no more eggs to eat. Separating them is not as easy as it sounds since they all shared a coop. My question wasn't about keeping some birds away from the broodies, it was about breaking broodiness.

The 2 ducks we let go broody...the cochins turned broody while we were on vacation for a week. The ducks left the nests once the eggs were gone but the cochins are still in there. I've taken them out and forced them to free range during the day (closing the run/coop off all day long), and still they sit in there once they have access. Yesterday I dunked their little bare bellies in cold water. That didn't work.


Sooooo....our turkey actually died of natural causes a few days ago and we sold off a total of 10 birds yesterday (just downsizing our flock) so the standard hens are both gone now. At some point 8 little cochin eggs ended up in the incubator (I will not admit to it and continue to blame my 7 yo ha ha ha), so last night I candled them and all 8 looked great (5 days in) so I put the 8 eggs in with the 2 broody girls and they tucked them right under themselves. Hopefully that will make them happy and they can hatch and raise up the chicks now that the canibal birds are gone. i just hope the 3rd henny penny doesn't go broody cause she's my only current layer other than my one runner duck.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

I have a hutch that is off the ground with rabbit wire bottom that I use to change my hens minds on setting.. I put them in there and put nothing in there but a perch they can roost on nothing that seems comfy enough to try to set again in , food water and leave them in there a few days I turn them back out and watch to see if they go back to coop to set or not... if the try to set again I repeat process for a few more days, most will snap out of it by day 3 or 4 some are harder headed about it and it takes longer.

x2
Putting them on a wire bottom cage works.

 

[Kittyf]

x2
Putting them on a wire bottom cage works.

So true - broke my 2 broody Speckled Sussex in 3-4 days by separating them into wire bottom cages. Gave the really vocal one a dunk in cold water several times, too - but it is hot here and she seemed to like that. They stopped the broodiness last week and I was waiting for them to lay again, expecting a 2 week wait. But they both laid today!

I have 2 wire bottom cages designed for pet carrier and large bird cage, both from yard sales. Minor modifications and they are perfect for breaking broodiness or quarantining or whenever separation is necessary. Well worth the investment. I have feeders and waterers for each, two, and wash everything after use for whenever they are needed again.
Good luck with your hens!
Kate

 

[MamaMarcy]

They seem soooo happy with their little eggs

 

[heatherhs]

I have broken two broody hens this week thanks to advice from the forum. we separated them from the others in a wire mesh cage for 3 days covered during the day with a sheet so that they could not see the others nor the hen house, fed and watered them separately and wow it worked they are very glad to be out again and no more broody nonsense one had been broody for about 6 weeks

heatherhs