Will this break a broody?

[mopalia]

Wobbles hatched last may, started laying a month ago, but now she's broody. She insisted on laying eggs outside the chicken enclosure, flying over a 6' wire fence every morning and them back in again along with Rosie, her hatch mate. Apparently Rosie is managing to get in there and lay her daily egg, but Wobbles has stopped laying. I take the egg every day. Will it break her if I remove her from the nest every night, close her in the coop and let her come out every morning after the automatic door opens? I did it last night and this morning she's right back on the nest, sitting on Rosie's egg for today. I really don't have the facilities to manage a chicken jail.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

No.

 

[mopalia]

No.

Any suggestions?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Well you say you can't do a broody jail. Could you give her an egg to hatch? Mark it and remove all others at the end of every day. When she hatches one, she'll be happy and will spend the next few weeks raising it. Can you tolerate one chick added to your flock?

 

[mopalia]

Well you say you can't do a broody jail. Could you give her an egg to hatch? Mark it and remove all others at the end of every day. When she hatches one, she'll be happy and will spend the next few weeks raising it. Can you tolerate one chick added to your flock?

Still traumatized (me, not the chicken) from the 13 that hatched under a tree llast May. The feral cats got half of them and more than the remaining half were roosters. I really don't want to deal with having another roo dispatched. I just remembered an unused crate I have, possibly too small but worth a try. I read that 3 days should do it?
I'll set it up today.

 

[debid]

This is such a common issue that while you may need to make do this time, you should work on a plan for next time. Maybe that means making an addition to the coop, maybe it means getting a used dog crate on Marketplace. I installed a mini coop next to the main that serves as a brooding coop but also can also temporarily house an injured hen or be used to separate a broody from her nest for a few days. It's been used for all of these things, it takes a lot of stress out of the situation having it available.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

A wooden crate may not work. A metal wire dog crate often works if it is set up on blocks to allow cool air to pass all around the hen's body to cool her off. A wooden crate, being basically enclosed, may have the opposite effect. The idea is to bring her core temperature down. Sometimes 3 days is sufficient. Sometimes it is not.