How to Break a Broody Hen

[bruceha2000]

Most of my start out feisty when they get put in but settle down. But go talk to them and they will talk back in "broody". Nuit went SO nuts she was hurting herself, I had to let her out. She'd never gone broody before. knock on wood, hasn't since but that was just earlier this summer.

 

[mrspeete]

Most of my start out feisty when they get put in but settle down. But go talk to them and they will talk back in "broody". Nuit went SO nuts she was hurting herself, I had to let her out. She'd never gone broody before. knock on wood, hasn't since but that was just earlier this summer.

She ripped off half her comb banging her head on the cage. I let her out and she seems to be over it now...idk maybe the moon?

 

[featherhead007]

Maybe you have some spoiled hen on your hands! JK. Never know how a hen is gonna act.

 

[ScottKelly1974]

I think anything done other than natural is bad for a hen. I had one hen who went broody for the second year and I let her have some eggs. Only one egg hatched. The chiock lived for about two weeks and then died from crushing. I had some other chicks and gave them to her. She took car of some of them. After the last one died, she went back to laying eggs.

 

[Safehorses]

I have a broody, buff hen. She sits in a empty nesting box until another hen lays an egg. Then she switches boxes to go sit on the egg. I collect eggs as quickly as possible. I can put my buff in a wire dog crate but I worry because it's cold and I dont want her to freeze or get sick. I'm in Nanjemoy MD. My crate is to large to fit in the coop. Any suggestions would be great.
And, Happy New Year to everyone.

 

[nuthatched]

I have a broody, buff hen. She sits in a empty nesting box until another hen lays an egg. Then she switches boxes to go sit on the egg. I collect eggs as quickly as possible. I can put my buff in a wire dog crate but I worry because it's cold and I dont want her to freeze or get sick. I'm in Nanjemoy MD. My crate is to large to fit in the coop. Any suggestions would be great.
And, Happy New Year to everyone.

She won't freeze, if she's in the coop and it's draft free, she'll be fine.
But if your concerned, bring the crate inside.

 

[featherhead007]

I have a broody, buff hen. She sits in a empty nesting box until another hen lays an egg. Then she switches boxes to go sit on the egg. I collect eggs as quickly as possible. I can put my buff in a wire dog crate but I worry because it's cold and I dont want her to freeze or get sick. I'm in Nanjemoy MD. My crate is to large to fit in the coop. Any suggestions would be great.
And, Happy New Year to everyone.

Let nature take it's course, if it's that cold!

 

[aart]

My crate is to large to fit in the coop

Is your run weather proof?
Keep the breaker crate in the run during the day and maybe inside at night.

 

[LJ33]

This is such a great thread.

I last had a broody hen about 5 years ago, one of my Buff Orpingtons (page 91 in this thread). Now I have a part time broody hen, one of my Barred Rocks, Sophia.

I say part time, bc she isn't displaying the usual obsessive broodiness (in the box 24/7, poofing feathers etc) that I experienced with my BO, but after the last few days, I'm pretty sure Sophia is somewhat Broody or working her way to full on broody.

She is one of 6 hens I have, hatched March 2020. She was the last of the group to start laying, and is in the middle to bottom of pecking order. (not sure if any of that matters).

The last few days I have caught her in the nest box when I get home from work and sleeping in the box- which she has never done in the year they have been in the outside coop. I leave pretty early for work, but most times the girls are outside before I leave. .The last couple days, I find Sophia in the next box, while everyone else is enjoying the outdoors. Yesterday, I came home from work and found her in the nest box, with one of my other hens who was actually laying an egg. Also, She has always been one to "get mad" when I collect eggs.

Yesterday afternoon I got her out of the box and in the yard, she stayed out with the rest of the flock til bedtime.

during Last nights check she was in the nest box when everyone was roosting and I left her there, as she was "screaming" when I tried to take her out and didn't feel like fighting her. This morning, she was in the box while everyone was outside. I literally took the box (old milk crate) and brought her outside, dumped her the ground, (nicely, Im not a jerk lol) and she scratched around a bit before hopping back in the coop. I had to leave for work and didn't have time to keep dealing with her.

Im getting a wire cage tonight and she is going in chicken jail asap.

one question tho- I didn't think using a cat or dog crate would work since they are solid bottoms, but I read here some have done that. The only wire cage I have right now is a racoon trap, so hopefully that works.

 

[bruceha2000]

My understanding is that you want them to not be able to stay got underneath so a solid floor would be less desirable.

I currently have 3 broody girls. I'm expecting 6 chicks from Meyer in a week and a half (I THINK! My computer has been at the repair shop for 3 weeks and my calendar is on it).

I've been holding Nuit in real broody f fashion for a couple of weeks. I take her out twice a day to eat, drink and tend to hygiene needs then she goes back in on her own. I'll let her stay in the nest the 2 days before the chicks arrive which would be natural for a hen actually hatching eggs. Hopefully she'll happily take the chicks and raise then.

Anais is being treated the same though she is that backup plan as she's not been good about the stuffing of chicks late at night in the past. If history repeats she'll help raise the chicks same as she has with every batch after hers, my first 12 chickens in 2012.

Angel went straight into the broody buster 3 days ago, I don't need 2 backups.