How To Break A Broody?

[ChickenGirl555]

First of all, I know there are a handful of articles that explain how to break a broody, but I want to hear it from you guys, like this.

So I have a broody buff orpington named Nugget. She is luckily a nice broody, and doesn't bite or hurt me when I pick her up to take eggs from her (but she did snap at her sister Brittney when she had sat on top of her ). I never really thought of it as a problem and let her be broody since I actually want a broody to raise chicks next Spring (I have a little polish cockerel that isn't mature yet). But now I've realised the others aren't laying many eggs because she's scaring a few from her box, resulting in them not wanting to go in the other, either. I only have two since there's only 6 pullets laying eggs.

So. How do I break this? I would prefer not to seperate her from the flock. I've really just been taking her off the nest and forcing her to free range, but then she just puffs up to the size of a bowling ball and clucks with a grumpy face. She's my favorite and the sweetest, so I don't want her to dislike me since they're more pets than livestock. We just want them for 4-H fair and pets, the eggs are like a bonus!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It is very simple. You must get the hen's underside cool to break the hormone cycle. An elevated wire bottom cage with no bedding. If caught early enough, it only takes a day or two. The longer you let them be broody, the longer it usually takes. Put some food and water in the cage. This technique is tried and true and has been used for centuries.
If the hen has the opportunity to plunk herself down on a solid surface and keep her underside warm, she'll likely stay broody.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

It is very simple. You must get the hen's underside cool to break the hormone cycle. An elevated wire bottom cage with no bedding. If caught early enough, it only takes a day or two. The longer you let them be broody, the longer it usually takes. Put some food and water in the cage. This technique is tried and true and has been used for centuries.
If the hen has the opportunity to plunk herself down on a solid surface and keep her underside warm, she'll likely stay broody.

Thanks! I have a dog cage I can put her in. But I'm not sure if it would fit in the coop so is it ok if she's not in it all day?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No. She has to be in it until she's not inclined to raise a family or you'll be fighting with it forever. If she can touch her bottom to a place where cool air doesn't reach it - the technique won't work.

 

[Chickassan]

Lazy method, works for some. Stick frozen veggies or cool packs underneath her until the hormones dissapate. You will have to switch out often to keep her belly cool. I don't have a broody breaking cage so this is how I have to do it.

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

I use a dog crate with wire floor elevated with 4 bricks. My coop isn’t big enough either, so I just put her in the cage, with food and water, in the garage. It takes us about 4-6 days to break her!

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I use a dog crate with wire floor elevated with 4 bricks. My coop isn’t big enough either, so I just put her in the cage, with food and water, in the garage. It takes us about 4-6 days to break her!

How does putting her back with the flock go?

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

How does putting her back with the flock go?

Oh um guess I forgot to mention...
She’s a single bird...

 

[rosemarythyme]

As I don't have room in my current coop for a cage, I simply "cage" the broody in a dog playpen inside the run. She'll stay caged day and night until she's no longer showing signs of broodiness (puffing up, angry pancake impersonation, broody noises, not eating, pacing looking for an exist) and then I let her out to test if she goes back and stays in nest box. There's no reintegration needed afterwards because the chickens can see each other all day.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

When we had a large henhouse for 100 leghorn layers, we had 4 homemade makeshift wire cages hanging from the rafters. Seemed like there were always some birds in broody jail. The cages were just pieces of wire fencing wired together with sticks and wooden slats for a frame. It doesn't have to be elaborate.
Is there room to hang a cage from the ceiling of the coop?