My Broody breaking routine

[AllenK RGV]

She's still laying...and you've been evicting her from the nests....both daily.
This make no sense for a broody incubation scenario, good thing you have an incubator.

I just know Hildy, she is usually the hardest to break out of all of my hens once she sits. Before doing the cool belly soaks she would always beeline it back to the nest. I really only want 5 to hatch out and don't mind giving her a go at them. As predicted, I popped out to the store and she is now in the one and ONLY layer box. I don't get how they can group think to decide there is just one out of 4 layer boxes. I would prefer moving her over to a large Dog kennel on the porch vs the favorite nest box.

 

[aart]

I don't get how they can group think to decide there is just one out of 4 layer boxes.

They lay where there is already an egg, either by fake eggs in all the boxes or follow the leader who lays first egg of the day.
Try putting a fake egg in all the nests and see what happens

 

[AllenK RGV]

They lay where there is already an egg, either by fake eggs in all the boxes or follow the leader who lays first egg of the day.
Try putting a fake egg in all the nests and see what happens

I usually use golf balls to try and direct them where I like. I just offered her 4 eggs and got a puffed up screechy beast who started going for my face. Since I had to reach past her. We will see what she decides, eggs are marked for easy identification. Time to head out going to get some guava and a few other plants to put in the run.

 

[LozzyR]

When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?

This is my new favourite quote!!

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

My Australorp is currently broody and I have her in the cage of shame. I wanted to know if I can let her out to stretch her legs, so thanks for this post. My girls don’t roost; they sleep in the nesting boxes, I wonder if this exacerbates the problem? (Two of my girls are ex-battery and don’t go broody). My henhouses are flat-pack pre-fabs and although they came with roosts, they are too narrow and the girls didn’t like them. Should I try making sturdier roosts and encourage them to sleep there?

 

[LozzyR]

Hi all I just wanted to share how I break my broody's.

3) I then take the hen to a cool pool or 12 inch bowl(my case) of water and set her gently in then apply pressure to the top side of the hen and get those hot bits of belly nice and cool. I make sure to wash the cool water in to her feathers.

After that I just observe my broody for 5 minutes to see if she requires a new soak later in the day if she returns to the nest. I do palpate the vent area as well if no egg has been laid when lifting and washing my hens.

Thanks Allen, I am going to try this. I hate seeing my poor Charlie in broody jail.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Thanks Allen, I am going to try this. I hate seeing my poor Charlie in broody jail.

Trust me it works. In my case I always catch them on day 1. I really hate putting them in prison. If I didn't keep heritage breeds I wouldn't have this problem.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

My henhouses are flat-pack pre-fabs and although they came with roosts, they are too narrow and the girls didn’t like them. Should I try making sturdier roosts and encourage them to sleep there?

My coops are also prefabs Lozzy. I have added 2 bigger perches above the places for the provided perches. One is a rounded plank and the other is a thick branch so they have a choice. They are on the plank in this pic, you can just see the branch behind them.

 

[LozzyR]

My coops are also prefabs Lozzy. I have added 2 bigger perches above the places for the provided perches. One is a rounded plank and the other is a thick branch so they have a choice. They are on the plank in this pic, you can just see the branch behind them.
View attachment 1940206

I’m going to make bigger perches and see if I can get them to roost. I’m also having mould issues with the nesting box roofs so think I am going to get some marine ply and make some new ones (roofs, not houses).

 

[LozzyR]

Hi Allen, how long do you give your broodys a cool bath for? I gave Charlie one today for five minutes, she was not happy. She’s out free-ranging at the moment so her feathers can dry, but I have shut off access to the nests. I will crate her again tonight in the laundry and hopefully she will be broken tomorrow afternoon. She was still making @aart ’s “ticking time-bomb” noise today, so I won’t let her back to the henhouses until at least tomorrow.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Hi Allen, how long do you give your broodys a cool bath for? I gave Charlie one today for five minutes, she was not happy. She’s out free-ranging at the moment so her feathers can dry, but I have shut off access to the nests. I will crate her again tonight in the laundry and hopefully she will be broken tomorrow afternoon. She was still making @aart ’s “ticking time-bomb” noise today, so I won’t let her back to the henhouses until at least tomorrow.

I try to catch them on day one. Then give them a cool belly bath for about 2-3 minutes is all that is required. I just cool the hot belly spots back to a normal chicken temperature.