SHE'S BACK

[aart]

Don't think of it as being mean, think of it as tough love. If she sits with no payoff, she can lose weight, lose feather condition, be more prone to parasites, all for nothing. IMO it's kinder to break them if you have no intention of hatching.

Exactly!!
Put her back in 'jail'.

 

[NatJ]

will broody pass on it's own or do we have to break her of the habit every time?

Broodiness will eventually pass on its own. But I've had hens sit for 6-7 weeks before they quit on their own. I had one hen in the past that spent pretty much all summer broody: sit for 3-7 weeks, come off the nest for a few weeks and lay some eggs, start sitting again... That particular hen laid well all winter when others were taking time off, so she did produce a reasonable number of eggs in each year. I wish I'd been in a position to hatch chicks from her!

I have had a number of hens go broody at various times when I didn't want chicks, and I haven't had any die of it yet--but I know that some people have had broody hens die of starvation, or of just being weak enough that something else (parasites, disease) killed them.

I wish there was an easy way to measure how much fat a hen has: because some backyard hens are prone to getting fat, while broody hens tend to lose weight, and it would be so nice to know which hens are going too far which way!

We have an isolation cage but just wondering if there is a better way ?

Isolation cage probaby is best because it's fastest--over in just a few days. I feel that putting her in a cage with food, water, and maybe a perch (but no bedding or nest) is less cruel than some other methods (like dunking in cold water) and easier than putting cold things in her nest (and replacing them when they get warm.)

If you don't want to do that, you might consider taking her off the nest once or twice a day and putting her near the feeder--that might encourage her to eat, and thus help her to stay healthy. (But it won't stop her being broody.)

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Okay Okay....she's back in broody chicken jail and shes NOT a Happy Camper and letting me know in know uncertain terms...I'm sure that I heard a couple chicken cuss words to boot.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

How do you know when its time to parole her from "jail"? Last time she stopped growling and acting like a turkey and her clam nature returned.

 

[aart]

I'd leave her in there for at least 48 hours...then maybe try letting her out just before roost time, see what she does.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

So she's in "chicken jail" and has been a grumpy chicken and by that I mean she will lower her head and raise her hindquarters and spread her feathers while "growling" and generally being upset.
We put her in Thursday morning and this morning(Saturday) she seems much better she is standing upright, defecated, and no growling or spreading her feathers. Here's the question is there a set ish time to be isolated or do the clouds part and a beam of light shine on her to signal she is read to be returned to the flock? I will say this that the last time we took her out of "jail" she in one day took over as head hen which caught us by surprise as she was 4th in the pecking order out of 5. Her breed sister is number 5. We are thinking one more night in the huscow to be sure the "good chicken now" isn't a trick for us to parole her early. Your help will be GREATLY APPRECIATED

 

[aart]

Here's the question is there a set ish time to be isolated or do the clouds part and a beam of light shine on her to signal she is read to be returned to the flock?

No, unfortunately not...each bird and situation is different.
You'll have to use your judgement.

We are thinking one more night in the huscow to be sure the "good chicken now" isn't a trick for us to parole her early.

I knew what you meant, but wanted to look it up.

 

[Painted Calls]

Tough love is the perfect way to put it. They don't like it, we don't like it, but it's for their own good.

Some chickens are just hellbent broodies. I raise bantam cochins. My place almost always looks like Auschwitz for chickens. I have 2 in jail right now.

What I do is bring them out of jail for an hour or so every evening. Let them forage and preen and socialize. Then I watch to see where they go when they enter the coop. If they b-line it to the nest box, back in the slammer they go.

I've broken them sometimes in days. Sometimes it takes weeks. Catching them early is the key. Every bird is an individual though. Good luck!

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Thank you to all those that replied to SHE'S BACK. WE put her in "chicken jail" Thursday morning and then took her out at Sunday brunch ish..all was not well from the start. She BULLIED all 9 flock mates and was a B*!&H in general. I turned my back on her for 2 seconds and BAM she was on the nest ...back in jail she went. I noticed her comb was light pink and knew she wasn't going to be ready to go. Today after work at 5 I went to her isolation cage and her comb was red and hasn't bullied anyone YET. She may be broody broke yet again...time will tell ...I/we really appreciate all the advice and hope this time she is non broody for more than a couple weeks.