Persistent broody

[IdyllwildAcres]

I have a persistent broody, she has done two 3 day stints in chicken jail, wire bottom bright light food and water only and each time I have let her out she goes right back to the nest. I put her back in yesterday this time she's in for 5 days. Hopefully this does the trick. Anyone else have a broody girl who will not give up? Any other broody busting tricks?

Thanks

Gary

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi Gary.

I had one gal spent 2 weeks in the breaker and ALMOST broke me. I ditched the wire bottom for day time use after that and only employ it night time inside the coop.

I'm not a fan of the brutal chill the hen down by dunking her. And it helps (me) to realize that hormones aren't ACTUALLY a choice for the hen and she is having a hard time as well. But I might get her elevated with a block of ice and fan blowing over it like air conditioning. To me this is a very stressful time for the hens.

I now use an open bottom pen on the grass in a high chicken traffic area. My hens pace JUST as hard and are just as mad about being blocked from their preferred location.

Please note that two week stent was shortly after already sitting and raising a brood.

In the end... a can still deal with gals that are broody on occasion and break within a few days when I don't wan't chicks or broody's. But those who are in the breaker every 3rd egg even after just raising a clutch or for a very long time... They will be rehomed (with disclosure of course).

I would never EVER put bright light on a broody... UNLESS I made sure it was under the amount of standard daylight. Had a Swedish Flower suffer egg binding after returning to lay even though I didn't supplement light. Might not be exactly relevant, but???

One way people choose to "break" their hen is by giving feed store or hatchery chicks. Not an ideal solution for me though.

My set up is essentially the same as @aart but elevating the breaker even full time during the day did NOT change length of stay for my birds. I still elevate it at night because some gals are clever enough to reach out and grab some bedding to bring in.

One THEORY... (not an actual suggestion) diminishing nutrients might HELP deter broodies... but that AIN'T gonna happen here.

Good luck!

 

[aart]

I have a persistent broody, she has done two 3 day stints in chicken jail, wire bottom bright light food and water only and each time I have let her out she goes right back to the nest. I put her back in yesterday this time she's in for 5 days. Hopefully this does the trick. Anyone else have a broody girl who will not give up? Any other broody busting tricks?

Thanks

Gary

I just had to do a '3 rounder'... each round was 2-3 days in breaker cage.
....and that was after hatching in Mar, weaning chicks at 4 weeks, laying a weeks worth of eggs then the broody hit again.
Think she's finally done now(knocks on some wood).
If it's really hot there, wetting her belly and/or a fan might help.

ETA...is this the broody who raised the chicks for you?

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

ETA...is this the broody who raised the chicks for you?[/QUOTE]

Yes, so far my only broody.

Gary

 

[snow5164]

Get rid of the light , aim a fan at her bottom . I have given ice baths and nothing works sometimes . My best success ? Move her to a new location , I have 2 right now in a 4x6 four tractor on fresh grass , they are happy as clams and eating like normal ... this will pass I promise

 

[aart]

ETA...is this the broody who raised the chicks for you?

Yes, so far my only broody.

Gary[/QUOTE]
So she did good with the chicks(cause we didn't see many chock with mama pics),
and now she's broody again....when did she wean them, did she lay again?

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Yes, so far my only broody.

Gary

So she did good with the chicks(cause we didn't see many chock with mama pics),
and now she's broody again....when did she wean them, did she lay again?[/QUOTE]

She weened them a few weeks ago, laid for two weeks and then started hoarding eggs... So into jail she went, 3 days and let out she went back to the nest, rinse and repeat. She is in jail for the 3rd time now.

Gotta say I am grateful to her for taking on the chicks but I cannot keep giving her babies!

gary

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

@aart since you asked...

Gary[/QUOTE]
So she did good with the chicks(cause we didn't see many chock with mama pics)