broody bantams on no eggs??

[hardmanzz93]

A friend i just bought a race horse off has 10 whynadotte bantams that are constantly in the nest and sitting and im certain their broody as they peck and growl when they chuck them out..the thing is there not sitting on eggs and they have been chuckin them out for just over a month..is there a trick to getting them out of this and back to laying eggs as they layed when they first got them. out of 10 of them none are laying..suggestions? is it the breed?

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

They think they're sitting on eggs.. but they're not. They loose feathers because they are SO stressed about hatching.. to break broodiness, try moving to a whole new chieken coop, and hopefully they'll snap out of it, if not, it might take 2 months.

 

[nittanyxi]

someone told me to put the hen in a wire bottom cage for a couple of days to break them of their broodyness. I've tried it 3 times on 3 different hens and it worked each time. It does take them a while to start laying again though.

 

[hardmanzz93]

yeh the change of coops wouldnt be an option..aww thats not good news..glad for the advice i just wasnt happy beacause they are not enjoying the chooks as much as they should do and i wanted to help..so your saying just time should get rid of it...they got 10 bantams for $5 each at a garage sale. thats cheap for over here in aus..plus the coop.is there any tips to speed up the process in the meantime? or just keep chuckin em out?

 

[hardmanzz93]

that seems logical as they wouldnt want to sit on wire..but puting 10 chooks in seperate wire cages seems a hard

 

[hardmanzz93]

ok so just time and keep kikin them off the nest..and maybe closing off there nests?? does anyone know when chat will be back on??

 

[Kajunbanty]

The fastest way to stop a bantam from broody is to put them in a wire bottem cage for about a week. I have some large cages inside my coop that I can put as many as 5 in one cage but I have only had 3 at a time go broody. Just make sure they have plenty food and fresh water. After a week they will be all over that broody business and will be back to laying soon.

 

[hardmanzz93]

do the cages have to be big enough so that they can still run around and stuff or not?? thanks for the help guys!! just wondering they are free range and only sit in the nest.. so what if i close to nest off..?? will they just sit elsewhere??

 

[Wild Trapper]

I've got hens to stop being broody by going in the coop after dark, pulling them off the nest box and placing them on the roost with the other hens. After 3-4 days they usually quit and will be on the roost when you go in to check on them. That has been the most successful method I've tried. I'd say it usually works, but you have to recheck, sometimes they will go right back in a week or so, unless they start laying again.

 

[hardmanzz93]

ok guys thankyou...i have some really good ideas, the wire cage taking off the nest at night and putting on the roost and closing the nest all good things..will put them to her and hopfully it works...any more tips guys!!! keep em comin lol!!!!