My chickens stopped laying?

[zweibucherwurm]

And what about the others? Are they not laying because of this broody? I have a large family and we miss our fresh eggs...

 

[aart]

I think my 4 week old chicks are too old for that though right?

Yes, more than likely. Tho have read some birds will take about any chick.
Best case is broody has been setting for at least two weeks and the chicks are more than 48 hours old, the younger the better.

Where are the 4wo chicks?
How do you plan on integrating them into the flock?

And what about the others? Are they not laying because of this broody? I have a large family and we miss our fresh eggs...

It's hard to say. Once you get broody in the breaker crate they may relax and start laying again.

 

[zweibucherwurm]

The 4 week olds are in a brooder box in an unheated shed. I am almost done with the expansion of the run and a 2nd coop. The run is U shaped (with my garden in the middle) with the original coop in one corner of the U and a new coop in the other corner. When I finish the coop/run (hopefully tomorrow ) I'll tack up some chicken wire in the "bottom" of the U with some panic doors cut in. Then the chicks and hens can see each other and interact, but still be separated. When things seem happy, I'll take down the divider and let them have the entire run and take their pick of coop/roost space.

Unfortunately, I don't have a dog crate like that. All day today while I was working they all were in the chicken tractor, but ms broody went right back to the nest box when I put them back into the coop. I'm not sure how to break her broodiness...when I take the chicks out of the brooder (a 2.5x3.5 cardboard box) should I put her in there? I don't want her to "un-integrate" while she's away, but I would like the rest to relax a bit. Part of me is tempted to use one of the above suggestions and buy 2 day old chicks from the feed store for her to raise and see what happens. Ultimately I want eggs...

 

[aart]

Unfortunately, I don't have a dog crate like that. All day today while I was working they all were in the chicken tractor, but ms broody went right back to the nest box when I put them back into the coop. I'm not sure how to break her broodiness...when I take the chicks out of the brooder (a 2.5x3.5 cardboard box) should I put her in there?

Good time to get one
Breaker needs a wire bottom to cool their undersides off.
Some folks put them in a sectioned off area of coop or run with no bedding.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Unfortunately, I don't have a dog crate like that.

Do you have anything that can be used to safely isolate a chicken? I've used my brooder, a covered dog exercise pen...