New Question About Breaking Broody!!!

[Chick CJ]

Okay so I had thought this morning we were back to normal, but then I found my BR Bantam back on the nest. I have put her in a wire cage and am wondering if I am supposed to leave her in plain site of all the other girls? I currently have her sitting in the yard where they are free ranging and my OEGB is digging around the edges of the cage it seems in an effort to free Alfie! I have food and water in the cage with her. The only thing that worries me is what if she needs to lay an egg for real? She did not lay yesterday and she has always layed every single day since she started laying back in first part of April. I do believe she is for real broody and not just playing at it as she is shaking and her body heat is high and her belly feathers are gone. Does this mean she probably won't lay for awhile? If she does lay will she just lay in the cage? I do not want to cause an internal problem!! I am really hoping some of you very experienced chicken lovers will answer!!

Thanks, CJ

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

If she wants to lay an egg, she will most likely lay it where she is.

This is a bantam, right. Good luck breaking her from being broody. When you figure out how to do that, let me know.

 

[Chick CJ]

Quote:

Yes, she is a bantam!! So is my other pullet who is playing at being broody! I will let you know if by some miracle I can do it! I have heard you can "dip" them in cool water as well as place them on ice packs but this seemed a bit too extreme so I thought I would try the cage method first. I may have to put my other girl in there as well as I am looking out in the yard right now and don't see her either so she is most likely back in the nest! I wasn't as concerned with the speed of the method, I was more trying to figure out a way to keep them off the nesting boxes so the other girls would use them as ever since these two went broody the other hens have backed off their laying. With the cage I have accomplished this. Although she is so nervous and pacey in there I don't know how long I can keep it up for! I will keep you posted if I have been successful!
CJ

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I currently have 3 of 5 Silkie hens broody. Here is my most tried and true method of breaking them. Stick fertilized eggs under them, what 21 days and problem solved.

My 3 Silkies are currently incubating 21 eggs between the 3 of them. 2 of them are sharing a large nest on 12 standard size eggs adn the 3rd is in her own nest on 9 Silkie eggs.

 

[teach1rusl]

How many days have you had your one girl penned? I think it takes several days, and be sure there's no bedding in there. You're also suppose to elevate the pen so that cool air can circulate around and under to cool her jets. Good luck with it; I hope it works for you. I ended up just letting my hen sit on nothing for 21 days...lol, although I would put her in a tub w/bedding sometimes that I'd just sit on the floor below my nesting boxes.

 

[Chick CJ]

Interesting, the idea of putting her elsewhere and letting her sit. I hadn't thought of that. I did think of putting some fertilized eggs under her but my husband nixed that idea! I put her in the cage today, along with another bantam that wants to go broody. I put the cage in the yard sitting on the ground. It wasn't raised but definitely not comfortable at all. They didn't lay down at all today! I waited until 5pm when all the others had laid their eggs and put the board in front of the nesting boxes so they couldn't get to them and let them out to free range for a few hours before dark. They both walked around with the rest of the flock until they went into the coop tonite. Tomorrow I will set the cage on some bricks and let the air flow underneath. That seems like a good idea. Maybe after tomorrow they will give up!

CJ

 

[beachchickie]

Cold water works. Fill a #3 wash tub with very cool water put her in it until her under belly is wet. Separate her for the next few days with no nest material. Then let her out and see how she does you may have to repeat. Worked with mine very well.