New to broody chickens

[drmusic]

I have had chickens for about 4 years and never had one go broody until now. I have 9 hens ranging from 9 months to 4 years. No roosters. About a week ago, one of the youngest (Sussex) wanted to sleep in a nest box. I’ve had chickens try this before and my way of breaking the habit is to block the entrance to the nest boxes late in the afternoon and open them again the next morning – this is what I did. The next day I noticed that the same chicken spent a long time in the nest box, sitting on an egg that she laid that day (she is the only one who lays that color egg) and a plastic egg. Since then, she and my Welsummer (also one of the youngest) have been sitting in the nest box whenever they can. Neither has laid an egg since that second day. My strategy is to (1) remove them from the nest boxes whenever I can, (2) collect eggs as often as possible, and (3) block the nest boxes at the end of the day and during the night. Any other suggestions for stopping broodiness? I don’t want to put them in a cage if I don’t have to. Even if I had access to fertile eggs, I don’t really want to hatch eggs at this time. Thanks in advance.

 

[aart]

I don’t want to put them in a cage if I don’t have to.

It's the fastest, easiest, and in the long run the 'kindest' way to go.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with feed and water.

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.
Feed and water added after pic was taken.

 

[rosemarythyme]

IMO it's faster and easier to cage them. Gets it over quick so they don't lose too much body condition. On average they'll break in about 3 days.

 

[chickens really]

Put them in a wire bottom cage elevated off the ground so the belly cools and they break from being Broody...Generally its quick if started early in the Broody cycle or can take a good week to break them..

 

[aart]

What are you using as a feeder?

It's a feed cup for caged birds, got it at the pet store,
carefully bent the wires in a bit to lessen chance of it getting knocked off.
Works better than anything else I've tried.
It's useless folly to put feed and water on floor.

 

[aart]

Thanks thanks everyone! Can you give approximate dimensions for the cage? I think I will build one.

The crate I use is 24"L x 18"W x 21"H.

 

[ChickenGal1842]

Hmmm...just keep removing the eggs and taking her from the nesting box to discourage her. That might help or if it doesnt work anybody else have advice?

 

[h c hennery]

I totally agree with aart.

Disturbing our Buff Orpington and blocking the nest box didn’t stop her from brooding – she just patiently returned to the nest, or plopped down in a corner of the coop if the nest was blocked. We let her continue to brood, hoping she’d snap out of it.

After letting her sit on an empty nest for 24 days straight, we put her in a wire dog crate (hardware cloth on bottom). Our coop is too small, so we put the crate in the run, and partially covered it with a shower curtain when rain threatened. After two days she was cured. Now everything is back to normal. Next time we’ll do it sooner.

Her two buddies seemed to stay near her when she was in jail. It was kinda cute.

 

[tomphot]

I have a very broody Silkie. After laying 8-10 eggs, she goes broody. I am now in the 5th such cycle. 1st time, I did nothing except evict her from the box, this took 3 weeks and the other hens were not happy about it. I have moved to the cage method with food and water inside. I put hard-wire floor in it to prevent her feet from going between the bars. It takes 4 days to break the cycle, much easier.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I use a small tray, I ferment my feed....Think those chick feeders would work, maybe less mess.