Broody hen Treatment - Backsides in cold water?

[ChrisBNorth]

We have just got our first broody hen , I have been told that if we don't want to go down the chick route, we need to dunk her backside in cold water to break the broody(ness?). Is this something anyone has tried and does it work, I really don't want her to sit miserably on no eggs (I keep extracting them) for 4-7 weeks, and the whole wire bottomed cage thing seems a bit cruel, if it only takes a quick dunk in a bucket of cold water then I'll take that route.

[HayleyB]

Poor girl I can't imagine a dunk in icy water would do anything - sin binning doesn't need to be a wire bottom cage just somewhere that isn't nestable would do, I have gathered it can take a fair few days.....

[Snadger]

Give the poor girl some fertile eggs...............you know you want to!

[tlck9]

I had heard about cold water treatment but having read horrified comments on here of doing such a act - feel that removing her from the nest box ad not allowing her in seems a much nicer prospect, than a damp chuck with a cold bottom and a running nose when she catches a cold

[ChrisBNorth]

Yep - I'm considering it seriously, I have a friend in the Village who has fertile eggs which he is always incubating so might try to do a deal with him, if I hatch them, he takes the chicks when they are old enought to be put out. - Talking myself into this one!

[MaureenHall]

Go on!!!! Let her be a Mummy It's an experience never to forget, I love watching my Precious with her little gang of hooligans

[HayleyB]

Methinks you're gonna be a mummy/daddy pretty soon

Maybe your mate'll let you keep a girlie?

[Hilary B]

Sin bin would be my preferred option at this time of year. Nowhere to make a nest or get away from daylight (when there is any daylight) is all that is essential.
If she is deterred now, she may try again in Spring, and better to let her sit then, unless you have a nice warm shed she can bring up her babies in until well after New Year!
Consider just what would REALLY be needed before you start hatching chicks at this time of year...
She will need 3 weeks to hatch anything, then the chicks will need her looking after them for 6-8 weeks, and you are likely to need to keep them inside somewhere for a fair chunk of that, while the weather gets progressively colder. By then the weather may be too cold for moving indoor-reared chicks to a new home, so you will have to keep them until things get less cold towards the end of February.
OK so that is 'worst case' but not impossible....

[RichmondHens]

Have you tried just chucking her off the nest repeatedly? Some of mine are what I call half broody, they sit for a few days then get off, then sit for a few days, get off again. The weather is getting colder and will slowly discourage them from feeling broody anyway. I have not heard about the cold water method before, more usual method is sin binning, but at this time of year when the weather is getting colder, is much more preferable than a bum of cold wet feathers!

[ChrisB]

I'd go for the Sin Bin.

The wire bottom to the cage is to allow the air to circulate around her nether regions and cool her down. Somewhat kinder than a dunk in cold water.

Maybe I was lucky, but one of mine went broody a week before I went on holiday, a matter that had to be resolved. I put my sin bin up on bricks to allow the air circulation and within 48 hours she decided maybe she didn't want to be a mummy after all.

[bluemoon]

I'm sure someone on the vine said they sprayed cold water on the hen's bum to discourage broodiness. It might have been Nicos, but I'm not sure (apologies Nicos if you're not the one). We have a semi-broody at the moment, she's sleeping and spending a fair amount of time in the nest-box, but happily leaves it when there are treats about or when they are let out to range, and she's still the first one out of the house every morning. She was hatched on 6th of March, so is still quite young and she reminds me of a child playing with dolls, all very maternal until something better comes along and the game is abandoned.

[ChrisBNorth]

Thanks Blue moon mine are about that age and the broody is quite happy to eat with the others once I have turfed her out of bed so I think like yours she is probably playing until something better comes along. usually in the form of corn !

[Nicos]

I'm sure someone on the vine said they sprayed cold water on the hen's bum to discourage broodiness. It might have been Nicos, but I'm not sure (apologies Nicos if you're not the one). We have a semi-broody at the moment, she's sleeping and spending a fair amount of time in the nest-box, but happily leaves it when there are treats about or when they are let out to range, and she's still the first one out of the house every morning. She was hatched on 6th of March, so is still quite young and she reminds me of a child playing with dolls, all very maternal until something better comes along and the game is abandoned.

Nope wasn't me!
I do the lock out during the day- and give the other gals a cardboard box to lay in outside.
I did try the bottom dunking in the heatwave, but it seemed not to make any difference. I suppose it's meant to help drop their body temp...but I've found 3 days excluded- and no boxes inside a night seems to do the trick. Mine take about 10 days from start to finish before they start laying again...such a waste of time when they could be laying isn't it??

[RichmondHens]

I went to collect bantam eggs at lunchtime to find three hens in the nest box, all snuggled up together and making broody noises! I know one is definitely broody and has been for a few days, but the other two are two days on, two days off. Almost took a photo but time was pressing so just chucked them all out! Will no doubt have a repeat performance come bedtime.

[tonyg]

im testing the dunking method at the mo ,so will keep you up to date ,im also not letting her in the coup during the day ,its my first time with hens ,so learning ,every day . tony