Need help with a broody! Not sure what path to take...

[GertrudeLover01]

Hi! My silkie is now broody, and boy is she mean. I have heard that there are sometimes health problems with this, and I would like to know a reliable, healthy way to break her of her broodiness. Please let me know if any of my ideas will work, or if there is another path you take to help.

1. Dunk her in cold water. I heard that lowers body temperature (???)
2. Separate her... yeah nope!
   
   I am actually all out of coops now so she is kept in the spare now by herself! Aghhh.
3. ice filled plastic eggs- like number one, I heard it lowers body temp but it sames unsafe. (???)
4. get her a fertilized egg(s)... We have 5/6 chickens allowed so I would like to do it but don't want to "spend" my last chicken spot.
5. Slip a chick under her... Same as above^

That's all I've seen in my research. Help please! I wish there was something that would encourage you guys.

I didn't want to put this in there because this is only an annoying thing I see.
When you reply, please specifically reply with what I ask for. Not something like "Oh I love silkies. Sometimes they do get broody, though!"
Something more like this is appreciated, "I would go with #5, because (blah blah blah). I have had (this much) experience."
------or even--------
"I need help too! Let me know what works!"
Sorry. That's my little rant. I just didn't want to post it in the main thing.

Thanks so much! Please read the above hidden note if you will reply! Thanks again!

XOXO from the Family Run!

 

[azygous]

First of all, you need to decide if you want her to be broody and sit on eggs and raise chicks, or do you want her not to be broody so you can get back to life as usual?

No one here can make that decision. No matter what people recommend, it won't be of any use to you unless you can tell us you want one or the other.

So, you pick one. Then we can help you meet your objective. Okay?

 

[GertrudeLover01]

Sorry! I knew I forgot something! I wasn't decided yet until last night, but now I think I have the green light to go ahead with trying to have a chick. So which method would work better?

 

[HouseMouseHens]

Our Blue Laced Red Wyandotte has been broody in the nest for weeks now, and we were grappling with the same problem. To let her hatch chicks, to graft day old chicks under her, or to break her broody. We let our chickens free range in our yard which is not very chick friendly, and along with the 13 chickens are 5 ducks, so I worry about the chicks if we did decided to let her have some. So we have decided we're going to try and break her broody(we've been trying for weeks to take her out of the nest, now were looking at more extreme options like water/ice/etc.

But from the research we did when thinking about chicks, we were definitely leaning towards putting day old chicks under her. If you don't have a rooster, it would probably be easier to find day old chicks than fertile eggs, and that way, if you get them sexed, you can get girls for your flock. Our farm store chicken expert told us to get the youngest chicks you could possibly get, and with gloves on put them under her and take the other eggs out. She recommended doing it at night so everyone is calmer, and trying to disturb her as little as possible. You'll probably want to separate her and the chicks from your other hens though, as other hens will peck them and possibly kill them. Apparently this is done all the time successfully, though I had never heard of it before!

Whatever you decide to do, good luck! And post pictures of the chicks if you get them! We love babies around here.

Edit: Also, I find your little note to be really funny. I hate it when people respond to a question with "Wow, your coop is so cute!"

 

[GertrudeLover01]

I got chicks, but not quite young enough.
Oh well.

My welsummer on the left and GL Wyandotte on the right.

Lacy and Lucy

 

[JackE]

I use a BroodyBuster for my hens. I don't think dunking them in cold water is a good idea at all. Ice filled eggs? I put the broody in a wire bottomed cage, usually for three days. I do not separate the broody from the others. The broody buster is right in the coop with the rest of the flock, so they can see her and they don't have to go through the pecking order thing again. This has been a 100% effective way to break broodies for me. Put them in an elevated wire bottomed cage, elevated so cool air can get under the broody. I put small water and feed containers in there with her. After three days, let her out, she should be over it. If she goes back on the nest, put her in there for another couple of days. This is a whole lot easier than dunking the broody, or keeping ice filled eggs under her.
Jack

 

[GertrudeLover01]

I use a BroodyBuster for my hens. I don't think dunking them in cold water is a good idea at all. Ice filled eggs? I put the broody in a wire bottomed cage, usually for three days. I do not separate the broody from the others. The broody buster is right in the coop with the rest of the flock, so they can see her and they don't have to go through the pecking order thing again. This has been a 100% effective way to break broodies for me. Put them in an elevated wire bottomed cage, elevated so cool air can get under the broody. I put small water and feed containers in there with her. After three days, let her out, she should be over it. If she goes back on the nest, put her in there for another couple of days. This is a whole lot easier than dunking the broody, or keeping ice filled eggs under her.
Jack

Thanks for your help. I just checked this, I've been so busy! She is already un-broody as of 6/8. I tried a wire bottomed cage, and she seemed halfway out of it if you know what I mean. Then, I decided to integrate her in with my two new young pullets (as she was by herself before I felt so bad) and she fit right in and immediately became active, happy, and is putter all her lost weight on again. She is no longer a huge grump and is my nice, sneezy girl again!!!!

 

[Steeler Chick]

I use a BroodyBuster for my hens. I don't think dunking them in cold water is a good idea at all. Ice filled eggs? I put the broody in a wire bottomed cage, usually for three days. I do not separate the broody from the others. The broody buster is right in the coop with the rest of the flock, so they can see her and they don't have to go through the pecking order thing again. This has been a 100% effective way to break broodies for me. Put them in an elevated wire bottomed cage, elevated so cool air can get under the broody. I put small water and feed containers in there with her. After three days, let her out, she should be over it. If she goes back on the nest, put her in there for another couple of days. This is a whole lot easier than dunking the broody, or keeping ice filled eggs under her.
Jack

This is exactly what I do and it does work very well. I have three Buff Orpington's that are constantly broody. I finally let one hatch some chicks and hope that will keep her satisfied for a while. I use one of those wire live traps as my broody buster. The other thing I tried was using a mini chicken tractor (PVC and Wire Mesh frame) and put them (3) in there during the day one day because I only have one cage for one chicken. I let them out in the afternoon and two of them went about their business but the 3rd headed right for the nest so she was a guest of the cage for three days and then she was cured. I also agree that the cold water would not be a good idea at all.