How to Break a Broody Hen

[Fluff-n-Feathers]

I want to get fertile eggs from a poultry show in 2 months and have my cochin bantam go broody, but she just went broody on her own!!!

 

[bigdawg]

chicken jail it is. i have four stuborn broody silkies. i have dunked all four of them in ice cold water. four times. didnt work. off to chicken jail they go.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
I don't have silkies and have never tried dunking a broody in cold water, but I've had great luck with putting them in a broody breaker. I use an old rabbit hutch with 1/2" x1/2" wire on the bottom and a pan underneath. It's pred. proof and the air can get onto their backsides + the cage is plenty big enough to put a chick waterer in and I use a rabbit feeder attached to the side of the cage for chicken feed. The longest it's taken is 5 days and that was with my chronically broody EE. She went broody again about 6 weeks later, but I guess you can only do what you can do. I caved that time and gave her some turkey poults to raise.

 

[Noble Rooster]

So I have a girl who is absolutely determined to be broody (1.5 years old, egg-laying hybrid)... She went broody this summer and thanks to this thread I was able to use a broody breaker and she came out of it in about 3 days. She went broody again 2 weeks ago and the broody breaker is not cutting it -- basically, wherever she happens to park herself is her "nest," whether it's the breaker, the barn floor, or an actual nest box. She's happy to go out and free range with everyone else during the day and at night I'm able to move her to the roost with the rest of the crew but once it's morning she's back on that nest box until I get out there to move her to the breaker.

I've been reluctant to leave her in the breaker overnight since it's been getting cool and I'd like her to have the warmth of snuggling with the others, but maybe I should leave her and just make sure she's in a draft-free place? Does anyone have other thoughts? Should I let this run its course (does it run its course)? I don't want to try the ice/cold water thing since it is getting cool here. She is eating and drinking and not losing condition (yet), but I'm keeping a close eye on her. I would so love to give her a few eggs to hatch but since we're only 2 months away from our own little human baby's arrival, plus winter being around the corner, we didn't think now was a good time to let her be a mom. (Next spring, definitely!!)

Meanwhile, I've found it quite funny that she's gone broody twice since I've been pregnant, especially since she took such good care of me when I was really sick early on. Sympathy broodiness?

 

[jndorsey]

Just a quick update here -- my LittleBird, my Brooder, came off the nest by herself one day. I didn't have to lock her up or fight her or push her off. She'd been on the nest for so long and had gotten so used to me moving her to get the eggs that she started letting me put her on the perch so I could gather. She still gave my husband and son grief, but she was no longer hateful and aggressive toward me. (We girls gotta stick together.) Well now we have the opposite problem! She won't come in at night. I'll be it's been four weeks since she's gone in at night. The others will move to the run at dusk but not this one. We see her out there hollering and carrying on, pacing on top of the roof over their run, and shortly she flies into the holly tree right next to the run! Thankfully she's a foraging breed, so it's not too horrible that she's locked out of the run during the day; she can still find a good amount to eat. Earlier this week while the others were out, I saw her in there at the feeder, so I ran out and shut the gate, thus imprisoning her once again! Son went to open the gate so the others could get in and out she ran. Problem now is I have no way of telling if she's laying and if she is, I need to find that nest before the copperheads do! Once they find it they'll check it on a regular basis. And I'd hate for them to get my LittleBird!

 

[psiets]

Is there any other method besides the crate method or taking her off the nest to break a broody hen? It is way to cold in Michigan right now to have her in a wire cage by herself. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

 

[MyBlackHen]

Quote:
I am in the same boat here in upstate NY. It is much too cold to keep her by herself in a wire cage, and ice water is certainly not a good idea right now either! If it were spring I would put some fertilized eggs under her but I am afraid of what might happen to to the baby chicks in this weather. I've been taking her off the nest a couple times a day but she goes right back in after a few minutes. I don't see how I can block off the boxes because I have 8 other chickens who are laying. I don't mind if she's not laying (we've got more than enough eggs) but I hope that she is eating and drinking enough. Today I brought her to her water and she drank quite a bit, which makes me wonder if she is taking care of her needs. She has been like this for at least a month now.

Any advice would be appreciated! Should I not worry about it or do I need to break her of this somehow?

Thanks!

 

[hendrix]

G'day! I'm so glad i have this site to come too whenever something different happens to my ladies!LOL I have my first broody hen and i have to admit i was a little worried as to what to do

I'm fairly new to the chook world

I was fasinated by how floppy my wild girl is!! It's the first time i've actually held her. I only have 6 chooks and they have all laid for the day except for broody chook (Aretha) so i've cleaned the coop and left the lid up on the nesting boxes and removed the sugar cane. She has gone under some trees for a dust bath i think. If the nesting boxes are not ready for her will she be broody anywhere?? Well, i've loved reading the threads on this subject and i feel a little more confident with what to do now, i'll keep you updated if this works :Z Cheers, Melissa x

 

[Sunny Side Up]

A broody hen won't limit her nesting choices to the regulation nest boxes, they can & will choose a variety of places. Some of them smart choices, others are more "just WHAT were you thinking?"

You can use a "Broody Buster" cage even in winter, try placing it in the barn or garage, somewhere out of breezes & drafts. It might inspire the hen to reset her clock sooner.

Or you can give a broody hen eggs to hatch, I've heard folks say their hens have raised chicks in the snow. Or make a cage for her & her brood indoors or in an enclosed place.

 

[mirsy09]

GREAT- I do have a large wire dog crate and will take her and put her in it in an empty stall with lights on 24hrs/day. I assume I will have to put feed and water in the dog crate. Thanx for all your help. I will report back after she is cured.