[rainie]

Hello all.

Someone told me to cool down the body temperature of a(n unwanted) broody chicken, pop an ice cube under her. Well I tried it, but with an ice pack as I had no ice cubes, and it appears to have worked. The broody is now rosey outside with the other chucks, the first time for a couple of months. So its a start.
Anyone else tried this?

[Beano]

No but it sounds a good idea. I've got one that spends most of the summer broody.

[nicky d]

fantastic idea, thanks for that,  sounds a far better option than dunking their bums or caging them for a couple of days.   Nickyx

[Casey76]

I hope you had something between the ice pack and her skin... ice packs can give nasty cold injuries when in contact with bare skin!

A cold bath (up to vent height) would be safer, if a bit messier.

[carolbriar]

I think the ice pack is a great idea.  Wish I had known or thought about it earlier.  It took a while to get my broody back to her normal self by locking her out of the coop once the others had laid.  Glad to say she is back to her old self now.

[hillfooter]

Hello all.

Someone told me to cool down the body temperature of a(n unwanted) broody chicken, pop an ice cube under her. Well I tried it, but with an ice pack as I had no ice cubes, and it appears to have worked. The broody is now rosey outside with the other chucks, the first time for a couple of months. So its a start.
Anyone else tried this?

I think Birdseye might have tried it.
I'll give it a go next time noting Caseys caution.

HF

[Tazzy]

Thanks for a great idea, think I'll put mine in an old teatowel following Casey's comment.

[Jeanette]

Great idea thanks i will certainly try it next time. (glad i'm not a chicken)

[bee]

I kept locking mine out once the others had laid, but that did no good at all. Did it for over a week. Then on Sunday I put her in a separate run where she could see the others, had food and water, but was on concrete patio - not so comfy! That night she went back into the coop as I couldn't leave her out and since then she's been downstairs. Not laying yet though, but at least she's no longer pulling out her feathers and sitting on others' eggs, making them toasty hot!

[rainie]

An bit of an old teatowel was between chuck and ice pack.
Think I may need to try it again though as she was sitting broody again tonight. Hmmm, maybe a consistent job to do when i am home for more than 4 or so hours.... maybe her temperature wasnt low enough. Will keep you all posted.

[Hawkins]

good idea may have to try that one.

[Casey76]

It will probably take at least a couple of days, as being broody is a hormonal state and it cannot be just 'switched off.'

[Lindeggs]

I have heard that anything that cools her underside will work.  An ice cube, or suspending her in a cage with a mesh base so the air can circulate under her.  Poor wee thing! 

I haven't tried any of these things so it's not first hand experience.

[hillfooter]

I tried the icecube idea to no effect just a wet and messy nestbox so I wasn't too impressed.  The broody cage on the otherhand does work well.
HF

[Bonniebean]

I agree with hillfooter - definitely the broody cage, but I put it in with the others in the run so they didn't lose contact.