How to break a broody hen?

[4 Georgia Hens]

Howdy folks!
So, I have a broody silkie who has been broody for a few days now. I have a very vague idea of what to do, but I just wanted to see what y'all recommended to solve this problem. Thanks in advance!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've broken them a few different ways. There's the wire bottom crate slightly elevated off the ground, I've just penned them so they can't get back to their chosen nest site, and I've blocked off the nestboxes.

 

[aart]

Never had a silkie, but this has worked excellent for me.

My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with fed and water

I let her out a couple times a day(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.

Feed and water added after pic was taken.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

I always block off the nests. But this doesn't work well if you have other hens still laying. In this case, you should isolate the broody bird in a wire cage so she can't easily set. Make sure to provide food and water.