Broodiness Cycle

[tootlk]

I purchased some chicks from the feed store and put under my broody hens at night. They are out of the nest taking care of them.

 

[Elfer]

If you put eggs under her, I'd do more than a couple because the hatch rate won't always be 100%.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I want to do this next spring with one of my girls SOOO badly. Hubby says no but we'll have the spare coop and all...

Chicken math strikes again!

 

[juderm]

One of my molted Javas went broody when I had someone else take care of them for a week. I think the disruption in routine triggered this behavior. I broke her by plugging up the nesting box and locking the whole flock out of the coup. It really disrupted the whole flocks laying. It took about 8 days before production was back to normal.

Two molted java eggs from above (darker browns) and a polish bantam egg.

 

[pilarcatlin]

I have a hen that is CONSTANTLY going broody. I usually give her the 3 days in broody jail to break her. Well, for the first time I decided to let nature do it's thing and her broodiness break on it's own... My question is, how long does that generally take?
T.I.A.

Hi, I have a chicken that also gets broody all the time. A friend of mine suggested that I buy her some chicks and slip them under while she’s asleep. It worked!
The first night I checked her a few times and the chicks were near their food dish each time, so I replaced them with her and left them with the new Mama hen. The next morning, I found the same situation but when I tried to put them back with her, she pecked at them. Great. Get the ol heat lamp out. I tried again two nights later. The next day, nothing could get near her precious babies. Here they are on the first day out of the coop.

 

[Don P]

I have tried soaking them with no success. I put them in a coop with only a roost and no where to sit. I put them on the roost so they know to go there. 3 days they always break. If I don't have an empty roost coop available to do that, I pull them out of the nest when I feed in the morning if they don't get out for the food but most do, and for sure at night when I collect eggs, I toss them outside the coop onto the ground so they have to move around to get back through the run to the coop. This doesn't break them but keeps them from getting stiff. They usually walk around and eat for a while.

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

If I leave her to break by herself how long does this usually take

 

[Col1948]

Leaving them to break by themselves can sometimes take a long time, but the problem is they are not eating the same and can suffer health wise because of it.
They spend nearly all day and night on the nest, not foraging and getting exercise etc, then it can also get other members of the flock to go broody then you have further problems.

 

[cwlynch]

You could try making a simple perch for your hens and roosters to perch and sleep on. I used a 10 x 10 dog kennel with bird netting on top to keep flying predators out and the chickens in. Made a perch out fencing poles so the hens only go in the hen house to lay eggs. Mine perch on top even when it's raining and can always get out of the weather but normally they like the perch. Mine free range all day and come back to the kennel. If you already have a coop with fencing around it you could simply put a broom stick through the hole in the fence and maybe it will help with broody hen problems because it will keep them naturally cool. All else fails I'd get some fertile eggs and let the hen hatch some eggs. You can always sell the young ones if you don't want to keep them.

 

[GenStewart]

I have a hen that is CONSTANTLY going broody. I usually give her the 3 days in broody jail to break her. Well, for the first time I decided to let nature do it's thing and her broodiness break on it's own... My question is, how long does that generally take?
T.I.A.

I read all the suggestions and thought you could use some help. There are actually two methods. The one i prefer ,that WORKS,is. I keep 5 roosters in one yard.Put her in with them.They keep her busy and are constantly breeding her.All the different breeds I have,this has worked on.

*UPDATE*

Broody Betty is in jail. And she ain't happy. LOL!

I may have to eventually just let her hatch a couple eggs and give them away and see if that makes her stop, or at least not go broody so often. Doing jail every other month for one and a half years is exhausting lol.... And I hardly ever get eggs from her bc she is always wanting babies.