How do you "break" a broody?!

[andythescot]

Hi everyone, I have this one BO out of six hens (no roos), and she is definitely broody. She's been sitting on the nest for two days straight, and puffs up and pecks me whenever I'm near. So far, I've taken her off the nest three times, the first time she squawked incessantly for about 20 minutes before getting back on the nest, and the other two times she puffed herself up, went up the ramp and back onto the nest. I just took out the eggs from beneath her, as well as the plastic eggs to persuade the girls to not lay in the bushes. What do I do to keep her off? She's getting aggressive with the other hens since she's using the favorite nestbox.

I tried luring her off the nest with a french fry, but she snatched it from my fingertips and then just stared it down...

Also, I think she's been plucking out her breastfeathers.. Is this normal?
What do I do?

 

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

well the only way i've heard is put her in the wired bottom cage (kind of like a bunny cage or something) with nothing to block the cold air from hitting her chest, and she will reconize eggs won't hatch if cold air is touching. So she will break.

*don't put bedding in the cage.

 

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

yes plucking breast feathers out if normal. She wants to give the eggs skin contact.

 

[nic8407]

Hi, I'm new at "broodies" too. But see my post from yesterday Broody/Identifying Culls. This worked for me.

 

[andythescot]

What would happen if I just let her stay broody? Do chickens have an internal clock or something that tells them when to stop setting?

 

[bambi]

Hi, I do not have any answers and need to know for mself. I have tried to take my barnevelder off the nest and removing all eggs but this is not working so I would like to give this post a bump hoping you will get your answer and I can learn as well I hope this is ok with you

 

[sophiejw]

I have three bantams that are forever going broody. I have a wire cage with a wooden floor which I put them in with food and water and they stay there for a couple of days (including overnight) and this breaks their broodyness. The cage doesn't have bedding in it or a nest area which helps. I've heard of people putting them in a wire cage with no food or water or shade for a few days but this seems a bit cruel so I always give them food or water. I've tried just putting them in for a day but then they go straight back to the nest box, has to be two or three days to break mine.