how do you break a hen from being broody??

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
As long as YOU don't mind it, then she'll do okay. I do toss mine off the nest occasionally so she'll go eat, drink and poo, because she rarely leaves it on her own...

 

[bigoakhunter]

I have used the sperate cage method with a wire floor. Seperate the hen from the rest in the cage , suspended or up off ground. give them food and water. I had to wire the feed dish and waterer to sides and floor of cage as it would get knocked over. Left broody in seperate cage in run for 2-3 days and then returned them to the flock. It has worked well.

 

[dianer29]

My flock consists of 7 Silkies. I think she will be alright as long as I am viligent on her needs as you are right they tend to get forgetful of the things they need. I like that she is in with the rest as flock interaction is important too. I have trued to separate another one recently and she was very unhappy to the point of not eating ev en from hand and thrashing herself around. As soon as I returned her things became more normal,normal for a broody that is.lol

 

[feathersnuggles]

At night I moved my broody off the nest and onto the roost, where it was too dark for her to see her way back to the nest. The cool night air under the roost did the trick. Most of her broodiness was gone by the next day and she was progressively less broody with each day. But each night she tried to sit on the nest, instead of the roost. So for about 3 more nights I removed her to the roost after dark. She had no problems using the roost by herself, after that.

It's the cool air under them that chills the broody's "fever". For me, the night air under the roost was the key.