Need help handling Summer Broody

[LoneCowboy]

My big beautiful blue Orp. has decided that it's time to go broody. It's too hot to be broody! What's she thinking???

So I don't know what to do. I have everything full of chickens, event the pig pen is currently full of chickens.

I need to put her someplace that's cool, but I don't know where. I have some dog crates, but no cool place to put her. I want to get her out of the nesting box as soon a possible and someplace where I can put water very close to her so she'll drink more without getting up off the nest.

What if I put her in a dog crate on a wagon so I can move her under a shade tree during the day and in the safety of the garage during the night? Would that work or would the moving upset her too much?

What about in the garage with a fan on her? Would that be too much cool?

Why do they pick the most inconvenient times for this?

 

[monathequeen]

broody or not, if you don't want her to be sitting, take the eggs away from her . don't allow her to sit on them. collect them as soon as you have eggs.
she cant sit on whats not there.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I'm in SE Florida. Our hens have gone broody in our sweltering summers as well as during our brief cold spells & occasional freezes. It always impresses me to watch them regulate the temperature of their egglings no matter how hot or cold the weather might be. When it's really hot they take longer breaks off the nest. I once watched a hen standing up over her nest, it must have been too hot for her to have sat upon them. When it's really cold they take fewer & shorter breaks, & clamp down flat on the nests. The kids like to laugh at them & call them "chicken pancakes" then.

I think putting her & her nest in a wagon may be too upsetting for a broody mama. You should be able to keep her comfortable in a dog crate in the shade somewhere, or in the garage. Like with all chicken care, just keep an eye on her & watch for any signs of distress. But I think she'll be fine.

 

[WriterofWords]

You know it's hot down here South of you! My broodies seem to be picking my dog kennels, I have 5 kennels in use by broodies right now. They have air holes for a breeze, they have room, the water and food fit right in there so I guess they are happy and satisfied. One of mine, Duchess, is in a kennel on top of a kennel under a tree.

 

[Debbienmousey]

Quote:
Sorry to disagree but a really BROODY hen will keep sitting even if she has no eggs. One of my hens has gotten kicked off her nest a couple times and had to go to a nest without eggs.

Back to the subject though, how cool does the garage get? I would not suggest moving her everyday. I would leave her in shade with a slight breeze if you can. I currently have a broody hen and I feel sorry for her but it is still early summer and we still want our hens to hatch chicks. The coop doesn't get drastically hot, and she is a bantam, so I think she'll be ok. (Although I have been wanting to rig a fan inside the coop)

Good luck with your hen

 

[critterluv]

Quote:
Not trying to hijack the thread ,but my jap.bantam hen has been setting for 4 days and has nothing under her!LOL

 

[Judy]

It sounds like you want to break her of the broodiness.

Putting her in a dog crate is one way, if it has an open air bottom. What breaks a broody is keeping their bottom side aired out. Usual procedure is, put her in a wire cage with food and water but NO nesting material, for two or three days, and put the wire cage up on concrete blocks or something similar, that will maintain an air flow under her.

The dog crate, wagon, and shade might be just fine. The fan and garage would probably also be fine, if you are as hot as we are, if you could maintain an open air environment under her.

Just keep her bottom side cool (well, cooler.)

 

[Judy]

Oh, BTW, I agree, lack of eggs (or anything the hen thinks are eggs) does not stop broodiness.

 

[LoneCowboy]

Well, I've never ever ever been able to break a broody. I guess I just don't have the knack or desire really to disrupt their cycle. Oh heck, I like the excuse to get more chickens without having my DH have a fit about getting out the incubator. See this way it's not my fault. They are so cute with their chicks too.

So I'm going to go with the dog crate in the garage with a small fan for now (it's a metal garage so it gets very hot). I'd put it outside, but we have foxes, skunks and raccoons out every night. Even if they can't get to her, they might scare her really bad and I don't want that either.

Then I'm thinking of building a very small coop with a very small run just for broodies and their chicks or roosters that need to take a chill pill. Multi use. What do you think? Think it will work if I just make it 2'X2' in a 4' x 4' run?

 

[WriterofWords]

That sounds like a nice little broody house. They don't need a lot of room while broody, they mainly sit and just need an area for food, water, and poop.