How do you know when she's broken? Mine are going in and out of broodiness with it only getting worse. Only one is laying eggs! I kick them out but didn't know about crating so they can't nest. Mine just nest in the sand if they have to. How do you crate multiple birds? One at a time?
I have multiple crates(3) setup for when I need them,
IF the birds get along (even with broody hormones making them crazy) and you have a larger crate (like I've done 2 hens in a 4x4 pen), you can crate multiple hens together.
I've had as many as three broodies together in my 3' x 6' brooder. They all broke. But like anything else I'd be nervous if they were packed in tight. It depends on the size of the pen.
A few weeks, generally. Some may resume sooner, some might skip the rest of the year if it's close enough to fall molt.
Leave the nest boxes open if you have them in chicken jail. You test if broodiness is broken by letting them out and seeing if they return to their nests. If they go into the nest, they're not broken, so back in jail they go for another 24 hours.
Before a hen starts laying she builds up excess fat. If you butcher pullets, hens, cockerels, and roosters you can clearly see the difference. That excess fat is what they mostly live off of while broody so they can take care of the eggs instead of needing to search for food and water. They need to replenish that fat before they start laying again.
