Kate, was a chicken that went broody so often, it became a standing joke at our little farm. She was absolutely determined to fluff up her pretty little bottom and sit on a nest - it didn't matter if the nest had eggs, golf balls, or absolutely nothing.
Puffed up and protective - broody, not moody! |
We removed Red from her care when she started pecking him excessively, and when it was clear he needed food and water and she wasn't leaving the nest anytime soon. We allowed her to sit on the other three eggs a few more days, thinking her instincts would tell her the eggs weren't going to hatch, and it was time to get back to pecking and scratching with the other chickens. No such luck. We removed the eggs from the nest, but she still didn't budge. She was content to pass the time fluffed up in an empty nest.
Looking for answers, we turned to the Internet, and found just what we needed on the Chicken Chick's website: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/05/broody-breaker-when-hens-mood-to-hatch.html. The Broody Breaker was the answer! Many chicken owners do something similar, but in a nutshell, you remove the chicken to a place that's cool, but not cold and drafty (you don't want a sick chicken). You put the hen in a cage or kennel that allows open airflow, especially under her, and you leave nothing in the cage that can be used as nesting material or a nest.
For our Broody Breaker, we picked a dog crate with holes drilled through the bottom of the plastic floor to allow better airflow. We put it on blocks next to the chicken coop, so the other chickens wouldn't forget Kate, (it can happen with chickens) and so it would be easier to reintegrate her into the flock.
The reaction I got from Kate was surprising. Chickens are not an animal many people associate with emotion, but she seemed to go through several emotions rather rapidly. I got pictures of most of her expressions, and when I looked at them all together, the first thing that came to mind was the 5 stages of grief. I only captured four, so here for your viewing pleasure are...
The Four Stages of Broody Breaker Grief
Greenhorn Tips (i.e. things that should be obvious, but sometimes aren't):
When creating your Broody Breaker, not only should you leave nothing in the cage that can be used as nesting material, but you need to be careful about the types of food and water dishes you put in the cage. Dishes/containers that can attach to the side of the cage instead of sitting on the bottom of it are best. We used a regular bowl as a food dish once, and found the chicken tried to nest in the bowl!
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