Stubborn Broody hens

[cleofish]

Hi, hopefully this is in the right place.

I have 4 silkies but what looks like 3 of them are broody now.

It started off with one, i would remove her to the run (i have a coop with a metal walk in cage run attached), i blocked off the nest box she would sit in and removed eggs as soon as possible but nothing changed. Then i was having about 3 eggs a day from the 4. I was hoping she would come out of it herself as she was eating and drinking a little when i brought her out but shes still broody.

However it looks like its catching another one went broody as well- not coming out of the coop, really puffed up and making noises when i pick them up and ive had another go like this recently as well.

Im now to 1 egg per day with only 1 chicken coming out in the morning and the other 3 looking like they are broody.

Every morning i go and lift out the other 3 from the nest boxes and put them in the run. There are 2 out of the 3 that will show normal behaviour like dust bathing and eating and drinking fine when they are in the run but there is another one that will stay in a corner really puffed up and stubborn. Im having the big poos from them as well.

After lifting the 3 out of the coop i have to shut the coop door so they cant get back into it again as if i left it open they would go straight back in.
Ive been doing this for the last week, i lift them in the morning and keep the coop door shut most of the day until they go to bed. Its awkward as i still have 1 bird laying so basically i watch her behaviour and if she looks like she wants to lay i open the coop door but the other 3 rush in the coop and i have to do the whole lifting them out and shutting the coop after the 'normal' chicken has laid. If i find an egg from the normal chicken early in the morning, the coop door will stay shut all day. However as soon as i open it the 3 birds are practically fighting to get back in.

-What is the best way to deal with this? ive tried blocking the nest boxes off and they just snuggle down underneath the perches and still stay in the coop.

-Is there a better way to deal with shutting the coop with me still having 1 laying chicken that needs to use a nest box to lay?

- if i try the metal cage option, does the chicken stay out from the coop in the metal run over night as well? while the other 3 would be shut up in the coop? I have no room for the metal cage to go in the coop. Is this safe her being out of the coop (but still in the run) at night?

-whats the best way to deal with what one of the 3 chickens that are broody? do i pick the chicken that went broody most recently or the one thats been broody a while?

sorry for the long post, thanks for any help.

 

[azygous]

Yep! Broodies can be frustrating to deal with. That's why the broody cage method was developed to break them in just three days. Nights are also spent in the cage.

If you understand the elements that cause broody behavior, it makes sense to use a cage with an open mesh floor to break them. The hormones elevate the hen's body temperature. Sitting on a nest or even on the ground perpetuates the hormones because it holds in her body heat, reflecting it back to her underparts.

The theory behind the broody cage is to allow cool air to circulate under the hen, lowering her body temp and that helps interrupt the hormones. Letting her sleep on a roost isn't advisable because that will keep air from cooling her underparts. So she needs to be in the cage over night, as well as during the day.

If you place the cage in the center of highest activity, that will also help interrupt the hormones. In about three days, you can release her and if she doesn't go back to a nest, you can consider her broken.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If you have a shed or garage or whatever, put the cage in there at night with cardboard or newspaper under the cage. Keep her in the sun during day.

I've got to hunt down my cage today too. Had one brooding, another started so gave her some of the eggs and yesterday a third started brooding. She's going to be busted.

 

[rosemarythyme]

- if i try the metal cage option, does the chicken stay out from the coop in the metal run over night as well? while the other 3 would be shut up in the coop? I have no room for the metal cage to go in the coop. Is this safe her being out of the coop (but still in the run) at night?

I've been keeping my broody cage inside the run since the current coop doesn't have space inside (obviously this assumes your run is fairly well predator proofed.) This also allows the rest of the flock to still see the broody so there's no difficulty in reintegrating her. And yes she stays in the cage both day and night until broken, or else she'll just hop back into the nest box as soon as daybreak comes.

 

[oldhen2345]

Thanks for this great advise. I also have one broody hen and another starting to get broody- that heifer actually bit me when I tried to get her out of the nesting boxes. I only have 2 nesting boxes (5 hens) and both are being used by broody chickens. My egg production is down to one or two per day. I will get the dog cages out tomorrow morning and start the debrooding process.

 

[cleofish]

Hi all, thanks for your help. It looks like the broody cage then. One is more broody than the others and really stubborn so i think she will be first.

Im going to go with the option of keeping her in the shed overnight (on blocks i guess?) as im worried she will be on display in the run at night.

Wish me luck, does it always work?

How soon after being broken can a chicken get broody again?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Wish me luck, does it always work?

How soon after being broken can a chicken get broody again?

It should work in most cases and should take between 2 to 5 days, though I've read about people having such dedicated broodies that all the chicken wants to do is brood full time.

Time between broody cycles depends on the individual bird. I broke a broody earlier this month and she's already broody again.