How to break a Broody hen

[SaltwaterChickInn]

My Buff Orpington won’t come out of the nesting box even though there are no eggs. She won’t come out to eat or drink and it’s very hot weather. I’ve tried moving her out of the coop but she goes back in. If I close the coop door blocking access to the nesting boxes, then the other chickens can’t go in and lay their eggs. Please help.

 

[sourland]

Cage her, crate her, whatever - just lock her away from the nest site until she stops wanting to set.

 

[Hen Den Hotel]

We had the same problem. We had to cage her for 3 days to get her to stop and she has never done it again

 

[aart]

Here's how I do it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

 

[SaltwaterChickInn]

We had the same problem. We had to cage her for 3 days to get her to stop and she has never done it again

That’s great news…I hope it works for me, I will try that. Thank you!

 

[JulesRSA]

Here's how I do it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

Hi @aart - I loved your article and am wondering if you (or anyone else on this thread!) can help me with a related issue. I have an Easter egger hen who occasionally goes broody, and the first 2 times I put her in broody jail, and she broke after 48-72 hours - it’s hilarious because her voice changes when she’s broody vs not, and I always know when she’s lost her gravelly alto voice that she’s ready to re-integrate

She’s a problem child as a broody though - barely eats or drinks and is highly aggressive to the other hens, resulting in fights and minor injuries. Each time she’s lost her broodiness for at least a month or two, but she started again yesterday afternoon, so off to jail she went last night.

The first 2 times she endured the broody crate without too much drama. I keep her on my covered porch, which is quiet and sheltered from the elements (and dogs). However, this time she’s really fighting being crated, to the point where I’m worried about her health. She constantly tries to get out, she knocks over any food or water I put in there with her, and she isn’t settling I’ve tried sitting with her, feeding her a few treats, nothing works and she only calms down (marginally) if I take her out and let her walk around (I usually do this when changing the tray under the crate and giving her new food and water. She has been fighting the crate since this morning and both of us are exhausted and stressed .

It might have something to do with the fact that we lost a flock member this past weekend? I’m noticing the remaining girls are a bit stressed and out of sorts. That said, I’m not sure what’s going on this time, or what to do. I’m tempted to cover the broody cage with towels, but that would defeat the purpose of exposing her to light and cooling her down. She’s definitely still broody, and if I return her to the coop now, there will almost certainly be a fight.

Getting fertilized eggs for her to hatch isn’t really an option, as I can’t have roosters where I live, and wouldn’t be able to euthanize them myself (my chickens are pets first and egg producers second, and I’m a big ol’ softie ) or find a home for them, there are already dozens and dozens of surplus rooster ads on every platform in my area.

Any help or advice would be appreciated!

 

[rosemarythyme]

She constantly tries to get out, she knocks over any food or water I put in there with her, and she isn’t settling I’ve tried sitting with her, feeding her a few treats, nothing works and she only calms down (marginally) if I take her out and let her walk around (I usually do this when changing the tray under the crate and giving her new food and water. She has been fighting the crate since this morning and both of us are exhausted and stressed .

I've had a couple restless broodies, it's not great to watch but them pacing around doesn't do them too much harm. Same with not eating, it isn't really a big deal for a few days. You may need to let her out a couple times a day to get water if she won't drink inside, as water is more essential, but she'll need to go back to the crate after.