How to Break a Broody Hen

[bantyhen]

My hen has been broody for about two or three months. She will not stop. Any suggestions.

 

[bantyhen]

My hen has been broody for about two or three months. She will not stop. Any suggestions?

 

[hopp2it]

We just started with our first broody hen. It took us about a week to figure it out but my husband finally got around to making a cage for her last night so we can break her of it. Here's hoping it works quickly!!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

With a cage it only took our broody two days to break. She'd been broody for two weeks and I'd given up hope our ordered eggs would show up in time so gave a go at breaking her. Was much easier than anticipated.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Thanks!! It is really hot here today (83!) but by Saturday it will be like 60, so goes Ohio weather. I have a friend who has a rooster so she is getting us some fertilized eggs, should be fun! I have never done this before (we bought ours as chicks from Tractor Supply). I will read through the 37 pgs of replies to this post when i have more time. Is there a place to go for info on that? Or should I just let her do her thing?

Let her do her thing AND read the postings here. I'd separate her to keep her and her newly hatched chicks safe from the other hens. Baby chicks also need baby chick food and you probably don't want your other hens eating it. ESPECIALLY if you buy medicated chick starter. So yes, read up on it. It's not difficult. Just some things you'll want to note.

 

[gigelus2k13]

I have 2 Orps. The first one stayed broody for 5 weeks, then it took her another 3 to "recuperate" before resuming laying.

Right after that, my second Orp became broody (two weeks ago). Not wanting to wait another 5 weeks, I moved her every morning from the nesting box to the backyard, while keeping the run shut off until noon (so that the other hens had a chance to use the nesting box too). It did not seem to break her determination, as she kept being very vocal and desperate to get back in the coop to her beloved nesting place.

Finally, last evening I slipped under her a freeze pouch. I checked her after an hour - she was still on the pouch, shivering like crazy but still determined to stay there. I felt pity for her and removed the pouch (still frozen!) However, this morning I was in for a nice surprise: all chicken were out in the run, including the broody one, who was very active and worked hard at re-establishing the top position she had before the brooding episode. I think that the spell has been broken by the cold she felt.

Now the question I have is: did any of you use a freeze pouch to break a broody hen? Can this method (along with ice cubes or frozen eggs) affect the hen, like she getting sick (cold, etc.)?

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I have 2 Orps. The first one stayed broody for 5 weeks, then it took her another 3 to "recuperate" before resuming laying.

Right after that, my second Orp became broody (two weeks ago). Not wanting to wait another 5 weeks, I moved her every morning from the nesting box to the backyard, while keeping the run shut off until noon (so that the other hens had a chance to use the nesting box too). It did not seem to break her determination, as she kept being very vocal and desperate to get back in the coop to her beloved nesting place.

Finally, last evening I slipped under her a freeze pouch. I checked her after an hour - she was still on the pouch, shivering like crazy but still determined to stay there. I felt pity for her and removed the pouch (still frozen!) However, this morning I was in for a nice surprise: all chicken were out in the run, including the broody one, who was very active and worked hard at re-establishing the top position she had before the brooding episode. I think that the spell has been broken by the cold she felt.

Now the question I have is: did any of you use a freeze pouch to break a broody hen? Can this method (along with ice cubes or frozen eggs) affect the hen, like she getting sick (cold, etc.)?

I've never tried the ice method. But read about it so I know people do it.

For me, just keeping the hen OUT of her nest was the best way to break my broodies. I have two small chicken coops and for a while, my broody was the only one that laid in one coop. So I just closed up that coop and keep her out during the day. I'd open it up at night so everyone who slept in that coop could go in there and after three days, she was over it.

But that doesn't work for me anymore as everyone now sleeps/lays in the one coop. I tried separating the broody in a pen inside the run but I was afraid she would hurt herself. She was just throwing herself at the pen trying to get to the coop.

So for me, I totally separate the broody into a dog crate in the garage or out of sight of her coop. I do let her free range for about an hour each day with all the hens and block her ability to get to her coop. For day one, she'll spend the whole free range time trying to get into the coop. Day two, she'll walk over to the gate once or twice to get in but will go out and forage. And by day three, she doesn't even try to get to the coop and I can leave the gate into the run wide open.

I usually keep her in the crate one last night JUST to be sure she's over it. Although the last time, there was some commotion when I brought her back out the following morning. So I think the next time, I'll let her fall asleep in the dog crate and then sneak her out to the coop and tuck her up on the roost later at night. This way, she wakes up with her sister hens and hopefully goes back about her old routine.

But all that said, I don't think there's a right way or a wrong way to break a broody. I've read so many different techniques that I think you kind of have to just trial and error to see what works for you and your hen.

 

[hopp2it]

Update!!! We put the broody hen in the cage on Tuesday evening and my husband let her out Thursday evening. She seems to be back to herself now!!

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Update!!! We put the broody hen in the cage on Tuesday evening and my husband let her out Thursday evening. She seems to be back to herself now!!

YEA. Congrats. I really do like the cage method. Breaks my heart to see them caged like that but I've found it to be the fastest and easiest way to break them.
And it gets easier the next time and the next time. You'll start to recognize the signs that she's going broody and pull the cage out and get it set up so that when she does go, you are ready.

 

[allie8302]

thanks for all your help, we finally got her a smaller spot within the coop for just her and her five eggs, and now she is not sitting on them! First time in six days! Is there a way to see if there are babies in there?! Hmm!