are they broody ?

[goldenchic]

My rooster & my 2 hens are about 8 months now, about two months ago they started laying 3 eggs every 2 days, i guessed one layed every day and the other every two days,and i would collect the eggs everyday as dont want chicks yet, then about 2 weeks ago they stopped laying would have to force them off the nest even though their was nothing there,some said lock them out the house during the day which av been doing, but instead of sitting in the nest they just sit on the sand floor,ave also noticed theirs never no poo in the nest, they seem to save it till the morning when i let them out, sounds gross when i first saw it checked the run to make sure a dog hadn't got in, couldn't believe a chicken could pass some thing that big, but their still doing it read they don't like to mess on their eggs, but their are no eggs, not bothered their are no eggs but my hens dont seem their selves, how do i break this broodiness and how long will it last seems forever,this is new to me my first hens, my husband said maybe give them a false egg but wont that encourage them to be more broody and they wont get off the nest till it hatches, but its never gonna hatch, all answers extremely appreciated

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Sounds like they are broody. When mine do that I take the fake eggs away. So I would not add any. The other thing I have to do is keep taking them off the nest. If you can block them from it for a little while that might do the trick for you. Hope this helps you some. I'm sure you will get more BYC people to add this as the day going by. Best of luck to you.