How to Break a Broody Hen

[LJ33]

Perfect. I think it is the combination of hormones that say "MUST HATCH SOMETHING" and the ability to stay hot underneath that keeps them broody. I don't know how to get rid of the hormones directly so removing the ability to stay hot seems to be the path.

Your mentioning her "poofing" matches what I see in some of my hens. Almost like a "tick" as Dr. Jekyll turns into Mrs Hyde.

Well it seems to have worked. 2 full days in the hanging jail cell and she seems to be back to normal.

We let her out last evening, but put her out in the yard with the other hens. I locked the coup door so she couldn't get in. She was doing typical hen things w her flock for about 2 hours. I put them all back in the barn and she didn't even try to go to the nest box. I checked on her after dark and she was roosting w the rest.

This morning she was doing normal hen things, so I think we are ok (for now!)

 

[slordaz]

ok had first broody hatch her chicks out now everyone wants to get in on brooding, Don't have 9 cages to break them all in at once, they are trying to community brood, put 2 in dog kennel carriers with just food and water for 3 days and they are not laying eggs but are still trying to brood as soon as they get out, any ideas?

Taking the eggs away does nothing they just all sit on empty nests.

 

[dynomy]

Since everyone (including myself) is sooooo frustrated with these broody monsters, hope this gives you a little giggle.

 

[bruceha2000]

ok had first broody hatch her chicks out now everyone wants to get in on brooding, Don't have 9 cages to break them all in at once, they are trying to community brood, put 2 in dog kennel carriers with just food and water for 3 days and they are not laying eggs but are still trying to brood as soon as they get out, any ideas?

Taking the eggs away does nothing they just all sit on empty nests.

That is ROUGH! How many hens do you have? I bet the answer isn't "9 plus the one that just broke" because if it was, I would block off the nest boxes.

Does the dog kennel have a solid floor or wire? The basic premise of busting a broody is to make sure they can't stay hot underneath by having them on a wire floor raised off the ground enough that cooler air will circulate under her.

 

[ponylady]

can we put more than one hen in dog crate, if the crate is a big one?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

can we put more than one hen in dog crate, if the crate is a big one?

Depends on whether the hens get along, some I can double and triple up, others will peck and fight.

 

[slordaz]

That is ROUGH! How many hens do you have? I bet the answer isn't "9 plus the one that just broke" because if it was, I would block off the nest boxes.

Does the dog kennel have a solid floor or wire? The basic premise of busting a broody is to make sure they can't stay hot underneath by having them on a wire floor raised off the ground enough that cooler air will circulate under her.

It has a floor, that must be part of it besides not being off the group but still can' put up that many crates is my problem.

The flock has been perfect layers daily until we got our first broody and she hatched out

I have 16 hens(lost 4 over the year) 9 are broody and not laying 1 still with her chicks but will be breaking soon, and 3 others thinking about it and occasionally laying . They can here the chicks with the broody in the enclosed secure pen and see them more often now as she's integrating them into the flock

Pretty sure one of the buffs has a hidden nest somewhere so one less problem but haven't found it and not sure if it's safe for her, she disappears a lot from the flock when out free ranging.

 

[slordaz]

locking a free ranging flock up seems to have worked for the ones trying to community brood, 2 broke and are laying the others are staying away on their own from the nests, only 1 sitting now

 

[dawn1229]

One of my 7 month old Australorps became broody. She was not leaving her nest, not eating much and felt bony. So I read somewhere that you could separate her in another cage to break her. Since my girls are pretty much pets I took a creative approach. Had her in my lap for over an hour, watching Utube of various baby chicks chirping. Guess what? It worked. She enjoyed the peeping of babies and now is back out free ranging with her six sisters!

 

[tassiedevil]

tricks-
firstly confine her to the broody pen first night she is still on the nest instead of up on the perch. Immediately, not next morning. 3 days min.
second is to avoid eggs left in the nest for a period of time. This is a trigger. Remove eggs during the day as laid, or make a rollaway nest box.
thirdly if you have a stubborn hen that will not go off the cluck and stays that way indefinitely even after you have done the broody box treatment a number of rounds , think about not ever using her eggs for hatching. Broodiness is genetic. Broody's beget broody's. Use her to hatch another hens eggs if shes a good mother. If shes a chick killer as well (as some are),and only seem to want eggs to sit on thankyou, then on my property i'd get rid of her. More problem than worth. The extreme behavior is warped undesirable and passed on to offspring. Unwanted in nature and in my backyard. They usually lay very few eggs.