how I broke my broody hens!

[McGoo]

I am a sucker for a broody hen and typically give her a couple of eggs to sit on and set her in a special pen...etc.... BUT enough is enough

I have waaay too many chickens now and 5 gals started going broody again!

I tried cold compresses and water bathes, but they didn't work and honestly took too much time.

So, I temporarily changed my ICU pen into a break-the-broody pen. I put in a 1/2 in wire mesh shelf 5 inches above the floor, stuck a pan of water under the shelf on the floor of the pen and placed a very small gentle fan, outside the pen, but blowing right above the pan of water...basically it's a swamp cooler.

I placed 2 hens in there so that they were on top of the shelf and within 24 hrs they were off broody. Then another 2 and the same happened. I just had another broody and did it again. This works. Now it's a multipurpose pen and more importantly no more chickens for the time being.

thanks for listening. Hope this helps someone out there.

Colleen

 

[lesliep6]

Great suggestion! But where do the birds stay at night? My coop is small. Can I put the crate in the coop during the night so predators don't get at it? Then put it outside during the day?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's the way to do it.
My uncle had hundreds of layers free ranging. I remember 2 or 3 being in broody time out at any one time.

 

[McGoo]

Quote:
I have the special pen in the barn away from other chickens. They stay in there protected for the 24 hrs. Otherwise they will go sit in the nest box again. Gotta keep them off the ground.