Broodiness like crazy

[ktdahlen]

I have so many broody hens, its just ridiculous! 3 out of 7 and I am trying to figure out why after 7 years of keeping hens and only dealing with our Welsummer being broody every year, are we having this problem? It's crazy, and I do have a separate space for broody hens, and when I put 2 in last time it worked fine but now the ladies who are broody are being SUPER aggressive. Our flocks have always been so peaceful I don't even know what to do. I have the meanest one in the broody box, and letting the other 2 sit in the other 2 nesting boxes for now. I can't put anyone else in with the one or she gets all mean and nasty with them. So the other hens aren't laying as well either, I think they are all stressed out by the change in energy out there.

I know why hens get broody, Hormones and all, but sheesh, do they also jump on the bandwagon and copy each other? It's driving me mad and our egg production went from 5 to 7 eggs per day, to 3 to 5. I am so bummed. Any advice out there? I am not into letting it run it's course, the Welsummer will sit for months. she's done it before. I just want them to give it up and give us breakfast and stop beating on each other. I am starting to think about just giving them away. But 5 are in their first year and are rock stars, I would rather work it out.

 

[CluckerFamily]

You will need to break the bloodiness my removing them from a nest and placing them in their own dog crates with their own food and water.
Chickens always keep us guessing. For the last 8 years, I have only had one hen consistently go broody no this week, a different one is broody and two others are showing signs of broodiness they just aren’t fully committed.

 

[Bigegges]

I have 8 hens a year old now added in 30 6-10 week old chicks all different kinds and now I got 4 broody 1 leghorn and 3 amber links

. They have all been sitting on the nest for a good 3 weeks now can’t break them. I think having all the chicks in there made them go broody

 

[Callender Girl]

I feel your pain! There must be something in the air because I am dealing with four broodies, including a Welsummer, and have never had more than one broody hen at a time. It's maddening!

I hope you get everyone to knock it off soon.

 

[aart]

Sounds like you need more breaker crates.