Broody hen cure?

We're raising four lovely hens in an Omelet.com CUBE with attached predator proof run. One of the girls, a black Araucauna, has become broody for the second time in two months. The first time we separated Jeannie from the other girls by placing her in a smaller Eglu contraption in which we put bricks in the nesting box to discourage her constant need to roost. In a few days she seemed cured, but what a hassle! She created pandemonium in her panic to escape and return to her favorite nesting area.

So, this time we decided to let her broodiness run its course. She is into the fourth week now of sitting on her imaginary eggs (I take the real ones out as soon as the other girls lay them. No rooster, so no viable chicks to be.) Every two hours or so, I take her out, and she will drink water, eat a few crumbles, dust bathe, scratch, but within ten minutes she is squawking to get back into the nesting box.....She is also the low hen of the pecking order and endures frequent peck from her sisters who seem semi--annoyed by her weird behavior. I'd greatly appreciate any tips regarding the best way to handle this broody state?

and from Ohio. So glad you joined. To break a broody hen, she should be put in a cage and put somewhere in total darkness for a few days. It should break her. If it doesn't try it again for a couple more days. It worked for me.

try putting ice under her. It workded for one of mine!

I kept one locked out of the coop for 3-4 days and it broke her.

Broodiness is definitely a pain to deal with! I have not had personal experience with this yet but I have read a few posts regarding breaking broody hens in the "managing your flock" section of BYC, you can also do a search on the main page for Broodiness and find previous threads that will have a wealth of information! Good luck!

Thanks for all of your suggestions on how to break a broody hen; I'll keep you posted on Jeannie's status!

& from Alabama.

from Indiana!!!!!

Hello from Hesperia,CA and