I want to de-broody my Broody!

[Millie1]

Without the help of a dog crate ... ours was loaned out several years ago and I can't get it back. Sussex is broody for the second time in a matter of weeks ... Last time she kept escaping and we found her sitting on 6 eggs under a hedge; now she won't leave the nesting box. Found five eggs under her today (DH hadn't collected them!) so removed those and chucked her out but she was back a couple of hours later. Any ideas or do I have to ride it out?

Thanks

I've heard that dunking their breast in tepid water can help. I don't know how long you have to do it for though.

I have a broody cochin at the moment and I just kick her out of the coop once she's been like that for a while. If you keep chucking them out for long enough, they snap out of it.

Thanks ILH ... I'll stick to booting her out for now.

Just done this with mine. I just locked her out of the coop, tempted her on her own with treats and lots of water. Gave her lots of cuddles. Eventually she forgot about it...

Keep chucking her out, and if you can shut off the nest boxes. Dunking their undercrackers in luke warm water can also help, but they really hate it. The theory is that they won't sit if they're wet. Obviously, only do it if the weather is warm.

Little madam has spent most of the day in there! I booted her out a couple of times but it was lashing rain and they're down in the orchard. Just put them to bed and put her on the roosting bar but could hear her go back as I walked away ... another egg under her and it was soooooo hot! If the weather was warm I'd try the warm water but it's not so I'll persevere with this for now. She isn't an affectionate hen so cuddles are out!

I have just locked my second broody out of the nest box and in the secure rum where she usually sleeps until the hormones kicked in. Her Cochin friend is raising chicks in the broody house.

Could you borrow a crate or a cat box with wire lid and invert it? I use the cat box method!

I wish! I don't know anyone who has one Bramble .... but you've given me an idea .... I'll block off the nest boxes tomorrow night. Only thing is that if I lock her out during the day I'll also have to lock the other pair out. Do you think I could do that for a day or two or would it give rise to bad habits with where they lay? What do you reckon?

My croad langshan was my first broody and I was amazed how aggressive she became and how noisy! She pulled out a load of breast feathers too!

Can you lock her out and still give the others access to the nest box? Can you fence her somewhere with food and water? Now that its cooler after the rain it should help her to click out of it.

I once tried to put flowerpots in my nest box but my broody just sat amongst them!

i have found raising the floor with mesh works, if not just locking them out, but some will just nest any where. our stable is near the chicken field and the day i locked my bantam out for being broody she had made a nest and laid an egg in my horses stable!keep removing the eggs daily i dont think there's much else you can do.

Thanks all. She's still broody but did come out of her own accord yesterday morning. We kept them out most of the day but the Orp wanted in to lay and as soon as DS opened the door, the Sussex was straight back in! She has her breast plucked bare! Hopefully she'll snap out of it soon ... I was tempted to put a few eggs under her but don't have the time or means to have a separate broody house or to integrate new chicks just now .... never mind the fact I'm coming down with eggs!!