Unwanted Brooding, What To Do?

[Susan Dye]

How do you discourage a hen from brooding? I have one who is brooding, but there are no eggs and even if there were, they wouldn't be fertile. I have no rooster and never have had a rooster. They aren't allowed in my city. But, this hen doesn't know that. Now she has another hen keeping her company in the hen house. The second hen isn't quite as dedicated to brooding as the first one. I've tried putting her off the nest and out in the yard. She will eat a little, maybe drink some water, then back to the nest. So, is there something else I can do? If I do nothing, about how long should I expect her to stay on the (empty) nest?

 

[chickens really]

Hello...Put her in a wire bottom crate elevated up off the ground so her belly cools..You can also blow a fan up towards her belly too..Depending on how long she has been Broody?..It will take a few days longer in the Broody breaker..

 

[ChickenLady2014]

Hi Susan Dye, I've found the most effective broody busting method is to put them in a hutch that has a wire bottom & a makeshift roost bar. Place water & food in it but nothing else. Usually in 4-5 days they are broken of the broodiness. If not, put them back in for a couple of days. I have a cheap cage I purchased at Tractor Supply that I use. It has a roof & can be placed outside. If you don't have something like that even putting the cage in the coop will work.
This is a picture of s similar hutch I have accept mine has one door & a roost bar. This one is designed for a bunny, but you can get the idea of what I talking about from the picture.

 

[chickens really]

@aart post your crate because I don't have a photo of mine..

 

[aart]

@aart post your crate because I don't have a photo of mine..

If you say please, I will

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Feed and water added after pic was taken.

 

[chickens really]

If you say please, I will

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Feed and water added after pic was taken.

Please and thank you..

 

[ChickenLady2014]

If you say please, I will

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Feed and water added after pic was taken.

Perfect @aart

 

[Susan Dye]

Hello...Put her in a wire bottom crate elevated up off the ground so her belly cools..You can also blow a fan up towards her belly too..Depending on how long she has been Broody?..It will take a few days longer in the Broody breaker..

Thanks so much. I don't have a wire crate of any sort right now, but looks like one is in order. Wonder how she would react if I squirt her belly with cool water? LOL

 

[Susan Dye]

Hello...Put her in a wire bottom crate elevated up off the ground so her belly cools..You can also blow a fan up towards her belly too..Depending on how long she has been Broody?..It will take a few days longer in the Broody breaker..

She's going on 3 days. I had to put a screen window in the coop door because it was getting way too hot in there by mid afternoon. Next question, which might be a silly question, but can/should I put both chickens in the same wire bottom crate?

 

[Susan Dye]

Hi Susan Dye, I've found the most effective broody busting method is to put them in a hutch that has a wire bottom & a makeshift roost bar. Place water & food in it but nothing else. Usually in 4-5 days they are broken of the broodiness. If not, put them back in for a couple of days. I have a cheap cage I purchased at Tractor Supply that I use. It has a roof & can be placed outside. If you don't have something like that even putting the cage in the coop will work.
This is a picture of s similar hutch I have accept mine has one door & a roost bar. This one is designed for a bunny, but you can get the idea of what I talking about from the picture.
View attachment 1380313

Thanks for the pics!