Why break broody hen?

[pnwchicklvr]

My broody stopped laying for one. I let her be broody for a bit in hopes it might sort itself out. Like you, I didn't understand why people went through the trouble of breaking a broody, why not just let hormones run their course? Then there began to be problems. Something changed in her demeanor and it totally disrupted the pecking order and there were daily fights. My previously peaceful flock had peck wounds, I'd find blood on the waterer, there would be feathers about, I'd see hens flying through the air with hackles raised and hear noises I'd never heard. So one broody managed to disrupt the order of things and there was pecking and fighting where there never had been before. Now that she's no longer broody, things have returned to normal as if it never happened.

I’ve been removing her from the nesting box, but she goes back after eating and drinking. I also didn’t know they stayed in the nesting box at night. I figured they were programmed to roost. She has become disruptive to the flock, so tomorrow she will put in the dog crate. I’m not so worried about missing an egg as I am about being mean.

 

[MROO]

If you're going to crate her - which is a good idea, btw - remember to leave her sitting on bare wire or some other cool flooring. That way her body can't maintain the higher temps that egg hatching requires. Mother Nature will eventually get the message!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Oh, that's right.....thought I'd asked before but didn't remember the response.
That part should be added for others' benefit when you say you just close the nests at night.

I don't think it really matters is why I don't mention it. This last go round I moved her twice in 7 days. I think the result would have been the same if I hadn't done so.

 

[pnwchicklvr]

If you're going to crate her - which is a good idea, btw - remember to leave her sitting on bare wire or some other cool flooring. That way her body can't maintain the higher temps that egg hatching requires. Mother Nature will eventually get the message!

Thanks. If I’ve researched correctly, I can raise the crate off of the ground. The bottom of the crate has large spaces between the wire. Should I put hardware cloth on top of it? And she stays in 24/7 for a few days?

 

[aart]

I don't think it really matters is why I don't mention it. This last go round I moved her twice in 7 days. I think the result would have been the same if I hadn't done so.

Of course it matters...folks will think that locking them out of the nests at night is the only thing you do to break a broody....Taking her out of nest during the day and walking her 100 yards from the coop is a huge part of why your technique works.

So she was only in the nest during the day for 2 out of 7 days.....
...or you let her stay in the nest all day for 5 of those 7 days?

Details are important.

 

[MROO]

Thanks. If I’ve researched correctly, I can raise the crate off of the ground. The bottom of the crate has large spaces between the wire. Should I put hardware cloth on top of it? And she stays in 24/7 for a few days?

Yup ... all the way around. You may want to give her a perch, too, so she's not standing on wire 24/7.

 

[aart]

Should I put hardware cloth on top of it? And she stays in 24/7 for a few days?

I use 1x2 wire on bottom of crate so poop mostly falls thru....
...and yes a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' is good.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rates-a-good-tool-for-every-chickeneer.72619/

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

So she was only in the nest during the day for 2 out of 7 days.....
...or you let her stay in the nest all day for 5 of those 7 days?

Details are important.

She was in the nest for 7 days (but not nights). The 2 times that I carted her off she returned to the nest just like they do when they take breaks and then return to the nest. They don't stay gone long.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Of course it matters...folks will think that locking them out of the nests at night is the only thing you do to break a broody....Taking her out of nest during the day and walking her 100 yards from the coop is a huge part of why your technique works.

Actually it's not. I've been very diligent before to cart broodies off multiple times during the day for days and it didn't make any difference. And then I've left them alone without carting them off and they come out of broody in about a week. At least mine do; might not work with other breeds.