Broody Breaking ala aart

Thanks, @aart! This info was really helpful when I had to break some broodies. My 3 BO kept going back into broodiness and I eventually gave up on them, but your method worked perfectly on every other broody I had.

Clear example of a broody buster in action.

This is the same set-up I use, and it has always worked for me.

I've broken a broody twice using this method, and it worked very well. It was the same hen each time, a few months apart. My cage is an X-tra large dog crate, and doubles as an isolation cage when I need it to. Sometimes I put house wrap around 3 of the sides or half the crate to help the roosting location be less windy (my crate is in a covered run and the wind just blows through). I turned the crate upside down and put the tray that comes with the dog crate on top of the crate so the other chickens can climb on top without bothering the hen inside and put firewood beneath the cage to lift it off the ground. I had to turn it upside down so the wire on the bottom would be close enough together for the chicken to stand on. I store my 5 gallon bucket of scratch on top of the broody breaker/isolation cage. This weight keeps the top tray in place and the crate sturdy when chickens fly onto and off of it. I shovel shavings on top of the crate, and the chickens scratch any poo off. When I'm not breaking a broody, or I need a bottom that isn't wire to isolate a hen for a few days (and I don't want to turn it back over cause that's a pain) I can just put a piece of cardboard in there, and cover it with pine shavings. I didn't have a piece of 2"x4" for a perch, so I shoved a branch through the cage sides about a third up from the bottom and secured it with plastic zip ties.

Thank you for all this helpful advice on 'broody breaking'. I have two Sussex hens (about 18 months old) who go in and out of broodiness - thankfully not usually at the same time. They will sit on plaster eggs if that is all there is. I don't have a rooster, so there is no chance of their hatching any chicks. Trouble is, they both like the same nest (from a choice of six!), as do my other hens, and it confuses their egg laying. Sometimes my other girls have laid an egg straight on the ground when their favourite nesting box is occupied, or they have stopped laying altogether. I have gone from 5-6 eggs a day from my six girls, to 1-2 eggs a day while the broodiness is in full swing. I have a small separate coop inside my main run that I can use, so will definitely try the isolation cage method.

Do I have to lift the cage off the ground?

GudaRen said:

Do I have to lift the cage off the ground?

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It would be better if you did, keeps her from creating warmth under her belly.

I have 2 broody right now. I moved one to another box but like some said in a earlier post all my hens (6) lay in the same box and now no egg production because of the nest " hog". Should I try " chicken time out" for both at the same time or do one at a time??

mrives said:

I have 2 broody right now. I moved one to another box but like some said in a earlier post all my hens (6) lay in the same box and now no egg production because of the nest " hog". Should I try " chicken time out" for both at the same time or do one at a time??

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I have multiple crates if I have more than one broody at a time.
If your crate is large enough you might be able to put 2 in one crate.
To avoid all birds laying in one nest, put a fake egg in each nest to spread the love.
Best to start a thread to get other's advice on your situations.