Broody Jail

[FrostRanger]

The reason why it's advised to break a broody hen if you're not going to let her set is a hen will lose condition while she sets and a few hens will even starve themselves to death. Even if they don't the loss of condition can make them more vulnerable to illness. IMO it's kinder to break a hen of broodiness if you're not going to let her set than let her sit for weeks for nothing.

As for what else you'd want in a broody jail, you want a perch, food and water. I also agree the crate should preferably be in the coop so she won't have to be reintegrated

 

[emyancey]

Hi! I came home from work yesterday and found a hen in a nest box (not their normal time). I left her alone for a bit then went in to check on her and she would not get up when I took the 2 eggs out of the box. If she's still in there this morning I was going to put her in broody jail. I have a wire dog crate I was going to put her in, but where should I put the pen? In the coop or run? Or completely separate her into our garage?

My girl is persistent and removing her and putting her to roost at night doesn't help; she goes right back in the morning. I put her in a dog crate in the coop in the cold weather and in the run in the warm weather and then I put her directly to bed on the roost and if she goes for the box in the morning, back to the crate she goes. She has water and food and grit in there as well as the perch they had as chicks so she is all set.

 

[ChookaPete]

My girl is persistent and removing her and putting her to roost at night doesn't help; she goes right back in the morning. I put her in a dog crate in the coop in the cold weather and in the run in the warm weather and then I put her directly to bed on the roost and if she goes for the box in the morning, back to the crate she goes. She has water and food and grit in there as well as the perch they had as chicks so she is all set.

You are best off to lock her in the dog crate (I use a tent) with her own food, water, and a small log as a perch, in a safe sheltered place, and keep her there for at least three days straight. Make sure there is no straw on the floor of the crate.

She does not need grit for the time being, as she is not laying eggs. She just needs to get her nourishment up again, and a chance for the hormone prolactin to subside (this is what makes her broody).

Let her out after three days during the day so she can have a dust-bath. She might still make those broody tuk-tuk noises, but just observe her closely. If she stays around the yard for the rest of the day, see if she goes to roost with the rest of the flock. If she still hangs around, place her on the perch.

If your chook just pancakes herself flat on the ground and won't move - then she is still broody and needs to go back to the broody box for another few days.



Here's Clover back in late January, in the Broody Tent, on my front porch. Well technically she is inside the cardboard box full of mixed grain to fatten her up!