Trying to break a broody... will this baby coop/pen work?

[MIChickandGuinea]

We have a “repeat offender” broody hen. We let her hatch some babies in the spring, but don’t want any new ones now. I have heard of smaller confined quarters and no “nesting” spot or bedding or materials to break the broody cycle. Do you think this baby-raising coop and pen will do? It’s about a 2’x2’ coop floor with perches and no nest boxes, and about a 2’x4’ “yard”.

 

[chickens really]

Yes as long as she cools her belly off. She might decide to go inside and continue though.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Yes as long as she cools her belly off. She might decide to go inside and continue though.

How cool for how long? I mean ... I've also heard that dunking them in cool water works. Is that a one-time fix? Is it inhumane? It sounds pretty shocking, but ... I want her to settle down and get back to being her lovely, curious, busy self!! And I'd like that to happen without adding more birds to the coop - we're pretty well stocked right now. Don't want to be crowded for winter.

 

[chickens really]

How cool for how long? I mean ... I've also heard that dunking them in cool water works. Is that a one-time fix? Is it inhumane? It sounds pretty shocking, but ... I want her to settle down and get back to being her lovely, curious, busy self!! And I'd like that to happen without adding more birds to the coop - we're pretty well stocked right now. Don't want to be crowded for winter.

That's an old wives tale..Definitely don't dunk her. She will need an elevated cage with a wire bottom to cool her belly off. It generally takes about 4 good days to break them.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

That's an old wives tale..Definitely don't dunk her. She will need an elevated cage with a wire bottom to cool her belly off. It generally takes about 4 good days to break them.

OK - Good to know. I thought that sounded pretty extreme and unkind, but I had heard it so many times and I thought I would ask ... And I guess I didn't quite understand that the small cage was actually intended to cool her off. I thought it was the isolation from the place she's thinking of hatching babies that just made her forget her plans. I will watch her and see if she's tootling around doing chicken stuff, perching in the little house, or just trying to relocate her brooding to her new temporary house.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

How cool for how long? I mean ... I've also heard that dunking them in cool water works. Is that a one-time fix? Is it inhumane? It sounds pretty shocking, but ... I want her to settle down and get back to being her lovely, curious, busy self!! And I'd like that to happen without adding more birds to the coop - we're pretty well stocked right now. Don't want to be crowded for winter.

Don't dunk her, it doesn't work instantly and is kind of cruel when she isn't chosen to be broody it is hormonal.

In my experience... your lock away will work perfectly well. That is what I choose to do for my broody's after one hen spent 10+ days in an elevated wire cage. I had enough and started using open bottom pens. They usually pace holes in the grass but my breaking time did NOT increase when I switched to this method.

I even take advantage of the first moments after removing them from the nest when they sit there not moving... on my lap... has friendly'd some gals up.

 

[chickens really]

OK - Good to know. I thought that sounded pretty extreme and unkind, but I had heard it so many times and I thought I would ask ... And I guess I didn't quite understand that the small cage was actually intended to cool her off. I thought it was the isolation from the place she's thinking of hatching babies that just made her forget her plans. I will watch her and see if she's tootling around doing chicken stuff, perching in the little house, or just trying to relocate her brooding to her new temporary house.

Definitely watching her behaviour will help. Once getting dark you can also put her up to Roost in that house at night. Lock her in that run during the day..

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I didn't quite understand that the small cage was actually intended to cool her off. I thought it was the isolation from the place she's thinking of hatching babies that just made her forget her plans.

It's both. She is isolated from her chosen spot and she doesn't have bedding to nest in and keep her belly warm. She maintains broody temp by all the shaking. It takes time for body to realize that she won't be able to nest and the hormones to go back to pre broody state. Most my gals at least 3 days before they break and another few before they are back to laying.

Very wise choice to know your stock limits and maintain them.

 

[aart]

That could work, take any bedding out of the coop part and maybe even block it off during the day.

I had a serial broody this summer and the last time I broke her(the 6th) it was too hot to leave crate in coop so I moved it around run and yard to keep her in the shade. I think the change in scenery helped break the cycle.

She maintains broody temp by all the shaking.

I'm sure this is probably an auto-word?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I'm sure this is probably an auto-word?

Nope, it's accurate...

I used to believe the broody shaking was a symptom of condition loss. But have noticed they are shaking from day one when there has been NO condition loss... shivering is a way the body produces heat. So it's the only logical reason I can come up with As to why they do it and ONLY when broody.

I have been chasing the shade as well. I don't think my breaker time has decreased, but I will have to pay attention and see.