Suddenly broody after one year!

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wjreese

wjreese

Chirping
6 Years
Apr 14, 2013
13
1
55
Hi all! Just last night we noticed that one of our flock, a Buff Orpington, has gone broody. We have nineteen adult chickens and this is the first time this has happened. When my wife tried to move her from the nesting box, the chicken pretty much tried to take her hand off. So, we have an issue, as this is one of the favorite nesting boxes, and there are probably six or so eggs under her. Any tips on how we can fix this? It's just a little bizarre! Thanks...
 
What do you mean by "fix" this? Do you have a rooster? Do you want chicks? Do you want to break her from being broody? Are you looking for ways to accommodate her broodiness without having it disrupt the rest of your flock as she has claimed the favorite nesting box?
 
Hi WJ. I have just had the same problem with a Buff Orpington, but it's the second time in a few weeks. I have had her about a year too. I was told to put her in a wire cage/crate, with no bedding. Slightly off the ground to give a good air flow (to cool her down) and so to put her off brooding. Do this for days and nights, you can let her out to eat and drink or if the crate is large enough put food and water in with her. This worked for me the first time, but this time she has been in there for 5 days. Sometimes apparently it does take a long time. She is brooding even tho there are no eggs. Hens don't lay while they are broody and when she comes out of it she won't lay for about a week. Do feel free to ask me any other questions and I will help if I can. This is all new to me too!
 
Pen the broody hen in another location for at least three days. A cage lacking nesting material is ideal. Process may need to be repeated with same or other hens as broodiness tends to be repeated over time. Pullets less inclined to become broody.
 
You need to put her in preferably a wire bottom cage, as stated with no nesting area. Food and water, a perch or roost if the cage can fit them but she probably won't use it anyway. The idea is to have airflow underneath the hen, this helps dissipate the hormones that cause broodiness. Usually takes 3-5 days in the cage to get them out of being broody, and it may take a while for her to start laying again.
 
I too have a buff that is/was broody. I would make sure to get all eggs from her as often as I could and give her little massages. I was taking her out of the box now and again and offer treats. I also keep mine in a run so when I would take her out I would also allow my girls to run the yard.Today I have found her out in the pen most of the day. I have to admit both she and I have been at this for a couple of weeks. Just be sure she is getting food and water. I think she liked her massages cause she is approaching me more. Good luck
 
It is a little bizarre...they can be ferocious!
Wear gloves and long sleeves.


My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a few bricks right in the coop and I would feed her some watered down crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.
 

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