How to stop Broody Plague?

[Ramblin Rooster]

Ok folks, I am coming to you guys because I am at my last limb with my broodyness in my flock. In my flock of about 35 or 40 birds, 27 have gone broody in the last couple months!!! I am tired of explaining to egg customers that I don't have any eggs to give them, and I am tired of dumping dozens of eggs in the woods because my broodies have tried to hatch them but end up cooking them instead because we don't have a rooster. I have had the broody breaker in use a lot this summer, but the hens usually relapse within no time. I just put 7 more hens into the broody breaker that just started being broody in the last couple days.

What can I do to stop broodiness? I have tried collecting their eggs but end up with hens going broody on nothing but pine shavings! I don't want to lose any hens this summer and I am sick of all my eggs going to waste. Please help me stop this broody plague!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It has a lot to do with the breed of your chickens, and the genetics, if your hens mothers were broody birds than you birds are going to be broody, this is why I avoid show bred birds, and I have also noticed that my younger birds, under 2 years go broody more often and they seem to grow out of it. I have also noticed that it is contagious, one bird starts and it seems to spread quickly, I pull them out as soon as I notice it and put them where the others can't see or hear them, it can be frustrating, I had a bird spend 90 percent of the laying season broody, this year she hasn't been broody once. Perhaps a different breed or different source for your chickens, but that doesn't help you this season.

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

its all different breeds unfortunately, and even some of the less broody breeds as well

 

[Grandmas Coop]

I have a hen that is 1yr and 4months

She has been broody since last Sept.

This is a real pain. She has perked up for 3 weeks a few times and goes right back to broody. I have to take her out of the nest 3 X a day so she will go poo and eat/drink. Now when she is out all the others hens snap at her. She does not lay, her comb is next to nothing. ????? Freezer????

 

[islafarm]

people here say that too much heat in the hen causes broodiness, broody hens get plunged in cold water until they 'snap' out of it. I don't know if it will work in your situation, but it has worked for me

Good luck! Brooding infertile eggs can't be fun for anyone.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

I did that last week~ I brought her in to the kitchen sink and gave her a bath~ worked for 4 days and she is back at it

 

[islafarm]

Hmm, maybe you could let her hatch a clutch and that would cure her ?

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

Nope, already did that, just encouraged it more.

I have them in a wire bottom cage so hopefully that will work I am going to leave them for a week as much as I hate to do it

 

[islafarm]

Well good luck with her! Let us know if it works please