Should you stop a hen being broody?

[ChirpyChicks1]

I was called by one individual cruel and heartless for doing this

I'd like to give them a piece of my mind. Worst thing about online message boards, any crackpot can join and give their opinion

 

[lilypad]

I'd like to give them a piece of my mind. Worst thing about online message boards, any crackpot can join and give their opinion

Tell me about it! I tried to stick up for myself and said I was only going on the advice I'd been given by others, but no, she was one of them people who cannot accept anyone else's way of doing things, her way is the right way. I left that forum after that as I got sick of seeing her posts about EVERYTHING. I still keep in contact with some members of that forum and they tell me what a loon she still is and the ridiculous things she says. I dont know why I took it to heart at the time to be honest!

 

[lilypad]

Not sure my plan is working.

I shut them out on the morning (my two laying girls never lay early) and then open the coop at around 10am for the girls to lay, I put icepacks under the broodies. Problem is my CLB X is still laying in the nest with them, but I think it's too cold for her to lay with the icepack in there and she wont lay in the other nest box.
And also my Orp lays whenever she wants, usually late in the afternoon, and some times she doesn't lay, so it makes it awkward knowing when to shut the broodies outside.
They also don't care that there's an icepack in the nestbox at all, they rush in there and snuggle down straight away.

One of them is also being real loud which I'm worried about, I can hear her from the house so the neighbours must be able to as well.

Hmm, I dont know what to do. My run splits in two so it would be handy to shut them in one side, but it's being taken up by my young birds at the moment.

 

[appps]

So your letting them back in the nest boxes after 10? Yeah ain't gonna work. They need to be kept off 24hrs a day for 3 days. Letting them back in puts you back to square 1

Can you string some temporary wire across one end to keep them from the nest boxes?

 

[lilypad]

So your letting them back in the nest boxes after 10? Yeah ain't gonna work. They need to be kept off 24hrs a day for 3 days. Letting them back in puts you back to square 1

Can you string some temporary wire across one end to keep them from the nest boxes?

I don't really have any way to keep them off the nest boxes without also stopping the other girls getting in there.

I have small dog cage, what about putting that where their nestbox would be, but having an icepack underneath them? my Welsummer is just really kicking up a fuss being away from the nestbox and I don't want to cause problems with the neighbours.

 

[JackE]

I put my broodys in a wire boxtrap I have laying around. I hang it up in the coop, so they can get plenty of cooler air under them. I used to just set the cage on the roost bars, but one of the broodys would just plant herself down over one of the roostboards and manage to keep herself in the broody state. So I had to hang the cage up. Also, hanging the cage keeps her friends from getting on top and dumping on her. Can't have that.
I keep them in there a minimum of 3 full days. I've let them out after 2 days, and they go right back on the nest, so 3 days it is. I put a small crock in there for water, plus another small one for feed. Breaking them this way is the time proven method. Don't waste time and effort with ice packs, or dousing them in cold water(I actually read about somebody doing that on this forum)

 

[lilypad]

Well I've set the dog cage up and put it in the coop with icepacks. The cage actually has much bigger gaps in the bottom than I thought (because it has a tray you're meant to slide in if putting dogs in) so there is no chance I can raise it.

I've read quite a few people having success with icepacks, as I dont have much of another option I will have to stick to that and see how we go.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

I would create a pen inside your run and put your broody chickens in there all day with their own feed and water. When it's time for them to go to bed then I'd just block off the nesting boxes since none of your chickens lay early in the morning anyways. If you can't do that then I'd just buy a crate with smaller openings. Good luck

 

[lilypad]

As the run's split in two, the side the broody hens are on is full of trees bushes, I don't think there's a place I can separate them off too without blocking up the door ways or pop hole. And I also have to think about how noisy my Welsummer is being when she's outside, she's squawks her head off constantly and I'm not rural and would hate for someone to complain.

By putting them in a crate I've blocked them from the nestbox so I'm hoping this will work. If not I will look for a crate with smaller gaps in the bottom and try raising it x

 

[JackE]

You have to raise it, otherwise, no cooling air can get under them. You don't have any extra chicken wire around? That would do it, just put a piece of that in there,, then the chicken won't be stepping through the bottom. You do that and get the cage up, you don't have to worry about any icepacks.