Red Sex Linked Hen

[Ducker2]

Hi everyone,

I just noticed my red sex linked hen has gone broody. The only problem is its minus 25 C here and I dont know what to do. I move her out of the way in her nesting box and pull out her egg and the other hens. I read you can put them in a wire cage but my backyard coop isn't big enough for this. Will she come out of this mood eventually? or will she end up getting sick?? It wouldn't of been so bad but shes a hybrid and I have no rooster. Can I just let nature take the its course.

Thanks Rick
Quebec Canada

 

[Banjosan]

How long has she been broody? If its just a day or two she may come out of it. Collect the eggs as often as you can. Though a very broody hen will not care if there is anything to set. when I have a broody I take her out of the nest box whenever I can and put her in a different spot to distract her. Sometimes after a day or 2 of being moved she forgets about it. If this does not work I put her in a plastic dog crate in the run. With no bedding. BUT make sure she HAS FOOD AND WATER This usually works after a day but in your climate right now this might kill your poor bird. Hope that helps.

 

[chicks2love]

Keeping food and water away is not necessary to break a broody hen. She just needs to be placed in a wire crate with no bedding so the air gets underneath her. I would never put ANY animal in a crate without food and water unless there was a medical reason for doing so. After two or three days you can let her out to see if she goes back to the nest-if so, you may need to put her back in the crate for another day or two. Sometimes they sure can be really stubborn to break.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

How long has she been broody? If its just a day or two she may come out of it. Collect the eggs as often as you can. Though a very broody hen will not care if there is anything to set. when I have a broody I take her out of the nest box whenever I can and put her in a different spot to distract her. Sometimes after a day or 2 of being moved she forgets about it. If this does not work I put her in a plastic dog crate in the run with out food or water. ANd no bedding. This usually works after a day but in your climate right now this might kill your poor bird. Hope that helps.

You seem to have a bit of a misunderstanding of setting up a good broody-buster -- restriction of food and water is in no way related to breaking broodiness and is, in fact, quite unhealthy for your birds.

 

[krista74]

You seem to have a bit of a misunderstanding of setting up a good broody-buster -- restriction of food and water is in no way related to breaking broodiness and is, in fact, quite unhealthy for your birds.

I second this advice 100%. In my personal opinion chickens should ALWAYS have access to good food and clean water.

The idea of a broody buster cage is simply to move the hen to new surroundings where she can have free air move underneath her and cool her down.

A good broody buster cage is large enough for the bird to stand and stretch, has food and water provided, but no bedding.

It should be raised off the ground a few inches to allow a free flow of air underneath, and have something over the top of the cage to protect the bird from the sun and rain, such as a sheet of tin or an old bed sheet.

If the weather is very cold, put the buster cage in a garage or shed to provide further protection from the wind and rain. If it's super hot, make sure you check the cage every few hours to ensure the bird is not exposed to the sun directly.

Here is an example of my broody buster cage:-



It can take anywhere between 2 to 5 days to break a broody hen, depending on when you first put her in the cage. Start by putting her in there for 48 hours, and then let her out every morning and afternoon to test her. If she runs back to the nest, pick her up and put her back in the broody buster cage. If she re-joins the flock she can stay with them as she is over her broodiness.

- Krista

 

[Banjosan]

Thank you for pointing out FOOD AND WATER is crucial. I have edited my post. I actually did read that and so "Followed the Directions" But yes its Horrible advice to pass on and not at all healthy to the bird. Luckily, I only did it 1x for a few hours with no ill effects. Thanks for the picture of the broody cage. I imagine in the cold temps that the original author of this post is experiencing even that kind of isolation may be unhealthy. Thanks again, all.

 

[Ducker2]

Thanks for the good advice everyone. I would like to try the cage method but its still really cold here but I might try her in my workshop tonight. I will light a fire to take the dampness out and leave her there overnight and see what happens

Rick