My year old Speckled Sussex has gone broody what can I do?

[scrambled please]

I only have 8 hens and now Splash, my Speckled Sussex is sitting on golf balls, protecting them with her life. I tried taking out the golf balls but that was awful; none of the girls laid in the out door nesting boxes but went into the hot hen house (I'm in FLorida) to lay. When I put the golf balls back in the outside boxes she changed boxes but she is not moving. I thought of buying a few fertilized eggs for her and letting nature run its course but she has been at this for 2 weeks now and I don't want to be responsible for the demise of unborn chicks. Also, I think a couple chicks would be cool for my two year old to see, you know it would be nice for him to know chickens don't come from the post office. I need some knowledgeable advise here, I am pretty sure we are moving to the country and I could increase my flock and a broody girl could be a blessing, HELP, I really don't know what to do?

 

[draye]

If you don't want herr sitting you can put aspirin in the water. It will break the fever.

 

[allieloveschickens]

what you can try doing is buying a couple chicks (or more) and sneaking them under her in the night- (take away the golf balls when you do) then she will think that the "eggs" have hatched and will mother the chicks

 

[chics in the sun]

I wait a few weeks (which it sounds like you already have) to be sure they really are fully broody. Then I get on here or Craig's list and look for a breed of hatching eggs I'm interested in. Give her 8 or so and see how she does! (Most people isolate the hen from the rest of the flock before giving her the eggs, though).

 

[hencam]

You can break her by putting her in a broody coop. See mine here:
http://www.hencam.com/henblog/2011/06/how-to-stop-a-broody-hen-from-brooding/

 

[scrambled please]

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Thanks you very much!!! I hope she is but I am planning on moving and would like to wait but thank you!!! Between the two post here I now what to do,,, Hoooo raay!

 

[scrambled please]

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Thank you very much, I have the exact thing and I would mind her going broody after I move, thank you!

 

[scrambled please]

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thank you, I love you all, I feel like a chicken pro now... Thank you!

 

[scrambled please]

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Another great idea, thank you! I am the broody hen queen now!

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

My BO went broody in May and I could not believe how severe her hypnotic trance was! She just refused to leave the nest - we had to lift her off a couple times a day and set her down in the yard far from the coop so she would at least eat and drink before going back and demanding to be let back into the coop.

I had an order of chicks coming from MPC mid-June so it worked out really well - we put them underneath her at 5 am and by 7 am she was mothering those babies like all get out! She's been a great little mom and it makes it much easier having her raise the chicks.