Broody and Angry—help!

[Cnewby]

I have a 10 week old hen (possible Wheaton Americana mix) who, for about a week plus, has become aggressively broody. Besides pitching her out every day (with gloves on!) what else could/should I be doing?
Additional facts:
1. Our flock is at six with 8 more Sapphire Gems about to join
2. Her egg production is way down
3. In our 9 great years of hens, we have dealt with a broody Buff Orp (an original member and still with us!) but she’s never been this aggressive. I appreciate any collective wisdom you’ve got!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yikes! I'd break her using a dog crate. Just put her in there with no bedding material, elevate it to keep her underside cool, and leave her there a day or two. With food and water, of course.

 

[aart]

10 week old hen

Do you mean a 10 months old pullet?

Besides pitching her out every day (with gloves on!) what else could/should I be doing?

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.