Hello Relatively new here and read a lot to learn as much as I can so I can be good owner. I googled broody behavior and how to stop as I have a cochin only 20 weeks old...started laying about a month ago but is brooding already. Read alot here and other places about making broody box and leaving hen in for 2-4 days (alone / uncomfortable) as oppossed to cold water bath. I left my girl alone for 3 days and she was still broody so I tried the cold water bath ( 3 mins ) and all fixed! I am a complete animal lover and a gentle person. I would never ever do something I felt to be cruel and inhumane. I filled my kitchen sink with very cold water ( no ice ) just cold...I gentlly put Susie in up to belly and held her for 2 mins while stroking her back and speaking quietly to her. I stopped holding her after 2 mins - she paddled around a little for next min then I removed her. 3 mins- it cooled off her belly and when I put her back out with flock she started free ranging right away instead of running for the coop. Why is this considered cruel and inhumane? If the water wasn't too harsh to stick my hands in it can't possibly be to harsh for feathered bird.....plus 3 mins as opposed to 3 days of being uncomfortable seems alot less cruel to me.... Any other thoughts on this??? Didi
wow, good timing! i was just going to post a question about something similar. i have had a few broodys and pretty much gave up trying to break them. my last ones eggs didnt hatch.. but she stayed vigilant on the nest.. I now have another silkie.. broody,... again.. she has a few eggs and has for just a couple days. Last night my dad told me when he was a kid and his parents had chickens.. when they had a broody to break.. they would stick her in a bucket of cold water.. up to her head.. for a couple minutes.. and that was the end of it. I was like ... thats cruel dad! but then is it more cruel that just leaving them in a wire cage.. for days? I have a lot of faith in the "old ways" and I think they are full of fantastic ideas that we have lost because we think we are being kind to them! I will definately try this next time...
I just tried this the other day. She fooled me. She joined the flock for about 20 minutes, then started her broody routine, and ran right back to the coop. Her routine any time I take her out is: sit and growl, run and squack to the waterer, peck around, take a dust bath, sit on the trailer to shake and preen, and sneak back into the coop. Every.Day. Maybe we'll have to go round two?