I Guess I Have to Call Her a Serial Broody

[3KillerBs]

Time to get some more crates

I am going to put at least one built-in broody-jail in the Chicken Palace.

 

[aart]

I am going to put at least one built-in broody-jail in the Chicken Palace.

Why build it in?
With foldable crates they become much more handy for multiple uses.

 

[3KillerBs]

Why build it in?
With foldable crates they become much more handy for multiple uses.

It seemed like it would be easier to have it handy and not have to dig it out of storage and set it up.

 

[deidreg]

Cordon is in jail for the third time since April.

View attachment 2785680

This is annoying because I had been using the dog crate as a shelter for the third feeder and where I had to move it to will not be proof against storms from the south.

I'm having the same challenge with Gigi, my Salmon Faverolles! And she goes in the same dog crate you posted.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

We have at least 3 broodies every time! Right now we are up to 5 so far for about 2 weeks! Before that we had 8 all at once! We break them and then a week later someone else starts it all over again! And it takes about a month to break (because we don’t have any good broody jails so we take them out every time we are in there and put them up on the perch at night instead)! It’s been going on since late spring and I am so over it!

 

[aart]

It seemed like it would be easier to have it handy and not have to dig it out of storage and set it up.

Yeah, maybe, but better than having it taking up space all the time.
I can store 4 folded crates in less space than one that is set up.
Plus I use them in different places.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I used to fold my crate up and put it away... it's been a permanent fixture in my coop for the last month. Before that I would use it, take it out, hose it off, fold it up, lug it into my chicken things storage area, and then 2 days later repeat the process. At the time I had 4 persistent broodies, now I only have 2 so I could probably get a week between uses.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Ive sent 96 cluckers to broody jail so far this year. Not saying i've had 96 separate broody hens, because quite a lot go broody more than once each year. Two hens have been to jail 4 times so far, several have been 3 times, even more 2 times, and plenty a lot once. I estimate 25-35 individual broodys, ranging in ages from 7 months to 6 years. I havent kept count of how many individuals, only the number of jailed broodies each week since april.

An fyi for anyone who has a multiples-at-the-same-time broody problem. I dont put mine in separate cages to break them. All broodys weekly go into the same pen. They have roosts, food, water and room to dust bathe. But they dont have comfy cozy nestboxes, & they dont have privacy. After 7-10 days have passed, i release the entire pen back to their flocks. By then, no more cluckers in That batch. I realize my way isnt the usual recommended way, but it works for me.

Photo below was taken this past weekend. There were 10 broodys in the pen the last week of july. I jail them in pens normally used to let broodys raise their chicks. As of today there are so far 5 in jail this week. Its slowing down finally, but the only month ive never had a hen go broody is december. The clucking, growling pancakes count will soon surpass 100 for 2021. For those who desire to break broodys and have multiples at the same time, ive found (for me) an easier way!

 

[3KillerBs]

I let her out this morning before church and she hasn't gone back to the nest yet.


I won't take the cage off the pallet this time, just put the feed back inside where it's more reliably dry.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I let her out this morning before church and she hasn't gone back to the nest yet.

Same with my broody, this morning I left her out while off to walk the dogs and came back and she was still outside. Left to eat breakfast, came back, still outside.