PLEASE HELP: Running Out of Options with Broody

[Painted Calls]

No. She'd been in jail for a month. I took her out for a few days (I think 3?) to get he settled in the nest again for the chicks.

Oh wow - she was in jail that whole time.

How high off the ground is her cell? If it's a good 12", maybe add a fan that points up from the bottom. Not set directly underneath of course. We don't want the literal hitting the fan.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I used to breed BC's. They are just as broody as Silkies but don't break themselves.

Was 5 days the longest you had her in jail?

I'm sitting here racking my brain. I know I know this, but what are BCs?

 

[Painted Calls]

I'm sitting here racking my brain. I know I know this, but what are BCs?

Bantam Cochins. The round ones.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Oh wow - she was in jail that whole time.

How high off the ground is her cell? If it's a good 12", maybe add a fan that points up from the bottom. Not set directly underneath of course. We don't want the literal hitting the fan.

Tried that. Also put ice underneath.

The broody jail is a dog crate that I turned upside down so that the smaller wiring is under her. The crate has rather large openings where the plastic pan would go under a dog. She managed to squeeze out of the holes at the top to get to the nest. She's a big ol Brahma, and she somehow flew/climbed up and squeezed through a 4 inch opening to get back to a nest. No clue how. Nothing in there to really climb on because her food and water are in small containers at the bottom of the crate.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Bantam Cochins. The round ones.

Oooohhhh. The little powder puffs! So cute. If I could guarantee I'd get all pullets, they'd be on my breed wish list.

 

[Painted Calls]

Tried that. Also put ice underneath.

The broody jail is a dog crate that I turned upside down so that the smaller wiring is under her. The crate has rather large openings where the plastic pan would go under a dog. She managed to squeeze out of the holes at the top to get to the nest. She's a big ol Brahma, and she somehow flew/climbed up and squeezed through a 4 inch opening to get back to a nest. No clue how. Nothing in there to really climb on because her food and water are in small containers at the bottom of the crate.

Good grief. Regular Shawshank Redemption going on in your jail.

I put HC on the floor of mine. Maybe you should add it to the top as well.

As long as it's up high enough for good air flow, and you're keeping her cool, I'd just try your best to be patient. Definitely continue supportive care for her weight and hydration.

What are you feeding her?

 

[Painted Calls]

Who is it that also has broody breaking experience?

Is it you @aart?

 

[JaeG]

I know it seems like she's skin and bones but a broody does lay down an incredible amount of fat to see her through and I've had hens sit for 6 weeks straight and they've eventually decided that nothings going to hatch and then they get over it. One of our Orpingtons, in her youth, during spring and summer and autumn would lay 10 eggs and go broody for 6 weeks, molt, lay 10 eggs and go broody again for another 6 weeks etc, etc, etc. I just left her to it and she's still going strong at 6 years old (though less broody these days). It was actually rather good because she would molt and start to lay again as winter hit, and then she would lay all winter. I had winter eggs for quite a few years from her.

I've never broken any of our broodies and 6 weeks seems to be the amount of time they will sit and wait, and then they get over it.

This thread has a photo of a broody Orpington that was butchered (due to health reasons) and it's interesting to see the amount of fat laid down. If you are squeamish just ignore the link, but I found it really interesting and the second page has some great information from some experienced members.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/butchered-first-chicken-is-this-normal.1382633/

 

[NatJ]

I'm seriously worried about Aster. I CANNOT break this hen's broodiness....She's skin and bones...

If you take the broody off the nest and sit her next to some food, will she eat before she goes back to the nest?

If so, I suggest you take her off the nest and sit her next to some food as many times each day as you can. Even if it doesn't break her broodiness, it might help her eat more and gain weight (or at least stop losing weight).

For food, I would use chick starter (more protein than most other chicken foods), and maybe add some water to make it a mush-- many chickens like it better that way, so it might encourage her to eat a bit more each time.

When I've had broody hens, if I took them off the nest and sat them by the food, they would usually sit there for a little while, then sort of wake up and realize they weren't on the nest-- so they'd stand up, eat and drink, and then head back to the nest.

 

[Painted Calls]

If you take the broody off the nest and sit her next to some food, will she eat before she goes back to the nest?

If so, I suggest you take her off the nest and sit her next to some food as many times each day as you can. Even if it doesn't break her broodiness, it might help her eat more and gain weight (or at least stop losing weight).

For food, I would use chick starter (more protein than most other chicken foods), and maybe add some water to make it a mush-- many chickens like it better that way, so it might encourage her to eat a bit more each time.

When I've had broody hens, if I took them off the nest and sat them by the food, they would usually sit there for a little while, then sort of wake up and realize they weren't on the nest-- so they'd stand up, eat and drink, and then head back to the nest.

I too was going to suggest a starter mash.