Do You Break Your Broodies?

Hi all! Haven't been posting much but reading all the interesting threads when I can.

I have my first broody large fowl hen with no plans to let her hatch out chicks. Spent all winter breaking my broody bantams and the novelty has worn off a bit. I was just wondering.....knowing that, worse case scenario broody hens are capable of starving to death if they don't have a hatch to break them 21 days later, should I really be breaking every hen that goes broody or will they, nine times out of ten, break themselves?

ive never had a large fowl be persistent enough to waste away especially if I keep taking away her eggs, just get pecked hands lots though!

Some will, some won't. Variable, just like us!
I always break mine up - I put them in a separate run with no nest during the day, than let them out at night to rejoin the flock. Of course they go right back on the nest for the night, but after a couple of days they get over it.

I put a small cage in the coop. I elevate the cage off the floor with firewood (because it's on hand) so that the cage bottom is not in the shavings. I make sure she has food and water. Within a day or two she is back to herself. I think because they can sit in the nest and get all dreamy and warm, elevating the cage 'cools her jets' and breaks the cycle.

I have one now (Coopslave, it's the little partridge Chantecler from you) who is about to get "the treament" as she is determined to hatch some eggs and I don't want any chicks this year.

Thanks everyone. It's Gail Damerow who says worse case scenario they could die of starvation and dehydration. My plan is to organize each coop with a separate area to break brood but right now all coops are stripped and need to remain that way for a while. I will definitely get small cages in there later in the year. The separate run is an option during the day. I'll see how long she insists on sitting for first and if I have to break her, I will.

I know for a very fact that I am going to probably have to entertain this act. I have 9 cochin gals and if they all go broody at once, I am in trouble. I could allow 4 at a time, but that is pretty much max. That happened last year, 4 brooding mamma cochins (ya, I know, I repeat myself sometimes). If all 9 decided, what then?? Blah. I don't like to do this, but sometimes we must interfere for sanity sake. I am listening and I like what I am hearing, just who to decide to let be mammas and who not. Think I am pretty sure who I want for having fuzzy butts below that great and wonderful belly of the hen , my tried and true old gals...good luck, let us know how it works. Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

The sooner you break them up, the sooner they get back to laying. . .

I try to break broodies, usually by hoping they will be broody. They generally then decide motherhood is not for them.

Last year I broke my silkie from broodiness by throwing her in the chick brooder. She flew out of there faster then she's moved in her life with all those babies coming at her from every which way. I've also segregated them in a dog kennel and the change in scenery makes them change their mind.

On the other hand I just gave my broody orp 15 chicks out of the incubator and she is loving them up!

Changing the birds environment is a great way to break broodiness. I took two bantam hens who were thinking of going broody to a poultry display and they had changed their minds by the end of the day.

farmchiq wrote:I put a small cage in the coop. I elevate the cage off the floor with firewood (because it's on hand) so that the cage bottom is not in the shavings. I make sure she has food and water. Within a day or two she is back to herself. I think because they can sit in the nest and get all dreamy and warm, elevating the cage 'cools her jets' and breaks the cycle.

I have one now (Coopslave, it's the little partridge Chantecler from you) who is about to get "the treament" as she is determined to hatch some eggs and I don't want any chicks this year.

A shame you don't want to use her, I bet she would be great. I have only had 1 bad PC so far.

The elevated cage works the best, cools their skirts so to speak. I usually just change their environment in the daytime with no option to get comfortable.

I may not have a choice about chicks. I noticed my white Leghorn X hen missing from the gang today. So, I will start a countdown and keep an eye open for her and her probable brood.

I could park the Chantie in a stall and just let her have at it I guess. But I could end up with a LOT of mutt chicks that way!

I've tried having my favourite broody hen stop herself...I thought she was going to die! She did get off for a quick bite and a sip of water, but she mostly sat on an empty nest for over 40 days the middle of this winter. Right when I thought I was going to loose her, she got over it (pale comb, rough feathers, thin, etc). Now she's back to her old self and looks great. Next time, I'm either hatching chicks under her or breaking her right away!

Go to the coop and announce loudly how great it is that you have buyers for all the eggs that are about to hatch.

Guaranteed to get all the hens to hop right off those nests.

When big mama went broody on me last year I was concerned as I heard the same. Thankfully she would leave the nest long enough to eat, drink and relieve her self. I have had to break broody hens before, most times after a few days of stealing her eggs the broody hen gives up

Thanks for everyone's input. Great to know. Good night!