ALL my hens are going broody, ACK! What to do...

[teacake]

I have one broody one who sits in the box that they all lay in. If she's in there, they climb on top of her and lay an egg on her back. Silly.

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
Why would you give them fake eggs if you don't want them hatching anything? That will just encourage them to be broody for MONTHS on end since nothing is hatching.

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
Mine all still lay in the next boxes despite the broodies...the broodies use the time the others are laying to get up and eat, drink, and scratch around a little. As soon as they other one is done she goes back to the nest.

 

[Illia]

. . . . Wish I had a whole bunch go broody.

But, I'm expecting and hoping lots of broodies next year.

 

[feathersnuggles]

I have a broody 10-month-old Wyandotte that I am nearly finished breaking of her broodiness. It didn't take long. In fact, last week I went to the hardware store and bought a package of wire cloth to be able to make a broody wire cage for her. However, I didn't need it. It took one day of steady hard work (when she was the broodiest), plus several more days of easy work, removing her from the nest at night and putting her on the roost with the others. The cool night air, under the roost, is helping to break her.

Her worst broody day was April 5. Numerous times I moved her off the nest, held her sideways in the cool breeze to get her tummy cooled off so that she would stand up instead of squatting on the cold ground when I put her down outside. That day, after many failed nest removals, I finally upped the ante, closing the coop and locking her outside. She cried and paced back and forth in front of the coop door, she even tried to fly up to the top of the henhouse, trying to get inside. She made lots of noise and was clearly distressed. At late afternoon, I let everyone back into the coop and she went promptly back to the nest. That evening, when it was dark, I picked her up out of the nest and put her on the roost with the others. She stayed there - not being able to see her way back to the nest.

After that day, she's been less broody each day since. During the days she stayed, mostly, away from the nest, and at night I moved her to the roost, after dark. She still isn't laying eggs. Last night was the first time I didn't have to move her to the roost -- she was already there.

I've returned the hardware cloth and got a refund.

So, perhaps this can be done without too much fuss. Though I felt guilty doing it; she, so clearly, wanted to be a mother hen.

 

[Shared Acres]

LOL.

Are you concerned about not having enough special places for all them to go broody at?

I have a mini run that I put 1-2 plastic totes in when my hens go broody and they all sit there broody together and then they seem to raise the babies all together as a group.

This has only seemed to work if they all go broody about the same time and are generally friendly to each other. They will share boxes and try to steal each others eggs, but this doesn't seem to be an issue.

As long as they are away from the non broodies and the boys, they should be fine. I've even put broody silkies in the bathtub.

 

[Dhkoenig]

When we want to break a Hen from broodiness, we put her in a wire dog crate with food, water and a baby aspirin in her water.
I've got 4 Broody hens on chicken and duck eggs right now.

Michelle

Hi Michelle - I know this is an old post but what was the purpose for the baby aspirin. I have FOUR broodys right how and wondered if that is something that helps