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Henhouse4

In the Brooder
Apr 27, 2024
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I'm a new member living in Monterey CA. I retired a few years ago from a 40 year career as a nurse. I have always wanted backyard chickens and took on the experience. I have 4 hens, two are 2 and half years old and 2 are 2 years old.

A black Australorp
An Easter egger
A Rhode Island red
and A Plymouth Rock

I have managed to solve most of my issues and obtain answers to my questions with books and internet searches but this one issue I cannot solve.
My black Australorp is a brooder (specifically chose chickens with low incidence of brooding). She goes into her brooding period EVERY 6 months. She just started another cycle.
I have a small dog metal crate (brooder breaker) that I put her in next to the pen during the day with plenty of rice straw, food and water and take her into the house at night and then repeat. She stays cool and can ruffle her feathers and act weird all she wants but cannot return to the nesting box.
This totally upsets the little flock. If I leave her on the nesting box (I have 2) to wait out the 21 days then the other hens peck at her. Due to her aggressive behavior during this time, I don't let her in with the other chickens as the senior chickens chase and peck at her.
Does anyone need a brooder? What do I do with her?

 
Henhouse4 said:
I'm a new member living in Monterey CA. I retired a few years ago from a 40 year career as a nurse. I have always wanted backyard chickens and took on the experience. I have 4 hens, two are 2 and half years old and 2 are 2 years old.

A black Australorp
An Easter egger
A Rhode Island red
and A Plymouth Rock

I have managed to solve most of my issues and obtain answers to my questions with books and internet searches but this one issue I cannot solve.
My black Australorp is a brooder (specifically chose chickens with low incidence of brooding). She goes into her brooding period EVERY 6 months. She just started another cycle.
I have a small dog metal crate (brooder breaker) that I put her in next to the pen during the day with plenty of rice straw, food and water and take her into the house at night and then repeat. She stays cool and can ruffle her feathers and act weird all she wants but cannot return to the nesting box.
This totally upsets the little flock. If I leave her on the nesting box (I have 2) to wait out the 21 days then the other hens peck at her. Due to her aggressive behavior during this time, I don't let her in with the other chickens as the senior chickens chase and peck at her.
Does anyone need a brooder? What do I do with her?
Click to expand...
Welcome to BYC! :welcome It's great to have you here!
 
Henhouse4 said:
I'm a new member living in Monterey CA. I retired a few years ago from a 40 year career as a nurse. I have always wanted backyard chickens and took on the experience. I have 4 hens, two are 2 and half years old and 2 are 2 years old.

A black Australorp
An Easter egger
A Rhode Island red
and A Plymouth Rock

I have managed to solve most of my issues and obtain answers to my questions with books and internet searches but this one issue I cannot solve.
My black Australorp is a brooder (specifically chose chickens with low incidence of brooding). She goes into her brooding period EVERY 6 months. She just started another cycle.
I have a small dog metal crate (brooder breaker) that I put her in next to the pen during the day with plenty of rice straw, food and water and take her into the house at night and then repeat. She stays cool and can ruffle her feathers and act weird all she wants but cannot return to the nesting box.
This totally upsets the little flock. If I leave her on the nesting box (I have 2) to wait out the 21 days then the other hens peck at her. Due to her aggressive behavior during this time, I don't let her in with the other chickens as the senior chickens chase and peck at her.
Does anyone need a brooder? What do I do with her?
Click to expand...
I have a few silkies, so I understand your pain. The one strategy that has helped me break broodiness more than anything is walking around with your broody.
 
Last edited:
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
I, too, have an Australorp that goes broody every year. She'll turn 6 years old in 2 days. When I break her, there is NO BEDDING in the wire dog crate. Just a board she can perch on along with her food and water. The broody breaker should never have any nesting material in it and should be set up in such a way as to keep her belly cool. If the weather is very warm when you are trying to break a broody, you should dunk them in cool water and put them back in the crate soaking wet. Several times a day if necessary. That helps break the cycle.
 
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Hiya, and welcome to BYC!! :frow

I raise silkies so deal with sometimes 4 or more broodies at one time. I put them in the gravel covered dog kennel across the yard and usually in four days time they are broken. It works much like those broody breaker cages some use, just much more roomy, but still no place to nest except on rocks.
 

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