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How can I make my hen not go broody?

post #1 of 4
3/24/12 at 2:25pm
Thread Starter 

Hi!

 

I have 4 hens; one mother and 3 daughters, all laying eggs. However, whenever the mother hen lays eggs, she keeps sitting on these eggs. Sometimes she sits even on her daughters eggs. It becomes very difficult to collect the eggs from her. Ultimately I need to push her with a broom and pick the eggs from underneath her. She does not notice that eggs are gone and keeps sitting in the same place.

 

Is there a more graceful way of collecting eggs?  Even better, is there a way to discourage her from being "broody"?

 

Thanks,

JBH

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post #2 of 4
3/24/12 at 2:29pm

You can put her in a wire cage that is suspended from the ground so that there is air flow underneath her.  I have not tried this, although others have.  

 

I had one that went broody, but she was pretty easy to break.  I just blocked the nest box at night and closed the coop door during the day when everyone was done laying (putting her out into the run first).  But she is a hatchery bird and was not very determined.

Owned by two old dogs (yellow lab and a big, red, fuzzy mutt) and four chickens (Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, and two Easter Eggers)
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Owned by two old dogs (yellow lab and a big, red, fuzzy mutt) and four chickens (Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, and two Easter Eggers)
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post #3 of 4
3/24/12 at 2:35pm
Thread Starter 

I should have mentioned that we do not have a proper nest or coop. My wife made a house with wooden box, but they prefer to stay outside. At night, they sleep sitting on a couple of elevated plank shelfs. They lay their eggs in a cozy corner of their enclosure. 

 

Thanks,

JBH

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post #4 of 4
3/24/12 at 3:52pm
I have a hen that goes broody every couple of months or so but mine stay locked up in a coop at night so it's easy to just take her off the nest and put her in the coop. She usually goes back to the spot she was setting in the morning when I let them out but a couple times throughout the day, I remove her and put her with the group. After a couple days of this, she finally gets the point and stops setting. Funny creatures them chickens! She does all this even when I've removed all eggs. smile.png Silly bird. tongue.png

I think if you keep removing the eggs and remove her when you see her setting (make sure she's actually broody and not just laying an egg), I'm sure she'll get the point after a few days. If not, you may have to lock her up away from access to the nest for a couple days. OR you could always just stick some eggs under her and let her go for it! lol.png
Grey & Buff Dewlap Toulouse
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Grey & Buff Dewlap Toulouse
Call Ducks in Buff, Khaki, Penciled, & Lav Bibbed (project)...hatching eggs 4 sale
LF Cochins-Projects in Barred, Blue Barred, Buff Barred, & Buff Laced
LF Brahma in Buff Laced, Gold Laced, Lavender, Lavender Columbian, & Blue/Gold Partridge
Ornamental pheasants....Swinhoe's & Lady Amherst
Mandarins
God Bless!
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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying › How can I make my hen not go broody?