[ali2]

How long can a chicken remain broody when not sitting on eggs?  Our little Wyandotte must have been good 3 weeks now and shows no sign of giving up !

[New shoot]

Can be weeks and weeks if you don't break her    As it is warm today try dunking her bum in a bucket of water.  I've got a broody dottie who is getting that treatment later on - not that she knows that yet 

[ali2]

Oh goodness as long as that?  We've already dunked her bottom in the water butt but didn't make any diference. can't block off the coop during the day like I would like to as it would stop the other hens from getting in ...think they are getting a little cheesed off as she sits in the nest box that they all like to lay their eggs in ...there are two nesting boxes but they won't lay in the other one for some obscure reason...they would rather lay on the floor of the coop although have seen one aqueezing in next to the broody one!

[Springlands]

We have a broody banty at present - found her sitting on four eggs yesterday one of which was obviously not a banty egg.  Curious to know how dunking their bums in water helps to break the broody cycle. At the minute we are just chasing her out of the coop but cannot spend the whole day doing that.

[Casey76]

Well, "bottom bunking" is a bit of a misnomer.  You should be cooling the abdomen and breast off.

Broodiness is a hormonal change, and one of the effects is that the underside of the chicken becomes very warm (so she can incubate the eggs).  By keeping the underside of the chicken cool you have reduce the hormonal levels, which eventually (after a few days) stops the broodiness.

Personally speaking, putting them in a wire bottomed cage, sat on  brick legs, for a few days, is an easier way to break a broody.

Broodies, tend to eat just 1/5 of their normal food, and it is possible for a chicken to starve herself to death if she isn't sitting on anything.

[Springlands]

Thanks Casey - will have to see what we can arrange - she is certainly not eating as much as usual. This is the first time in four years that we have had a broody hen so it is a new experience.