Winter broodiness

[ameliathedominant]

Hello!
Ive got an ayam cemani hen thats been broody since the middle of autumn and I've tried everything in the book to break her from it. Shes been separated, had cold plunges, thrown out of the box constantly. Ive tried blocking the nesting boxes for a few days amd it seemed she had broke but as soon as I removed the covers (I had to as other chickens in the coop are still laying) she went right back in there. Shes not even sitting on anything. I had thought she would be done with this by now because even if she had hatched eggs, it wouldnt have taken this long . I would honestly continue to wait it out but her being lean already and using extra energy to stay broody shes lost a large percentage of her weight, though shes still healthy its not good enough for the below zero weather coming up. Even though the inside of their coop is heated and consistently stays above freezing I still really need her out of that box.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions and comments!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have you put her in a broody breaker and if so, for how long?

 

[ameliathedominant]

Have you put her in a broody breaker and if so, for how long?

I ended up putting her in there for i think three days and she seemed to have stopped so I put her back outside, little did I know it was all a ruse

 

[rosemarythyme]

I ended up putting her in there for i think three days and she seemed to have stopped so I put her back outside, little did I know it was all a ruse

Yeah some hens need a longer span in the breaker, like I have one that typically needs 4-6 days to break whereas others easily break in 3.

 

[Debbie292d]

I ended up putting her in there for i think three days and she seemed to have stopped so I put her back outside, little did I know it was all a ruse

I have a couple that do that too. It's in and out sometimes twice.

I have one that I swear is broody more than she's not. It's best to break them though for health reasons so I'd just try again. It does get frustrating!

 

[McChooky]

One of my pullets that hatched in late August (brown leghorn) started laying this week. If you don't have a breaking pen use a pet crate .Keep her in there a week at a time before letting her out.Feed her extra food to help her gain weight and get thru the winter

 

[ameliathedominant]

I have a couple that do that too. It's in and out sometimes twice.

I have one that I swear is broody more than she's not. It's best to break them though for health reasons so I'd just try again. It does get frustrating!

Shes smart but so stubborn about it, ill have to find a different place to put a breaker pen because now we've got a puppy in the house. I would put her in the garage but there's no space so ill have to create some in the house.

 

[ameliathedominant]

Yeah some hens need a longer span in the breaker, like I have one that typically needs 4-6 days to break whereas others easily break in 3.

Do you think I could put a small wire crate inside the coop to break her so shes not separated from everyone again?

 

[Debbie292d]

Do you think I could put a small wire crate inside the coop to break her so shes not separated from everyone again?

Good idea! As long as you set it up on bricks or something so she gets air underneath her.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you think I could put a small wire crate inside the coop to break her so shes not separated from everyone again?

Yes absolutely, the best place for a breaker is near/within view of the flock, and in a protected area like the coop or run.