broody bantams on no eggs??

[chicken burger]

i have banty hens and they often get broody. I eventually took the nests out of the coop so there were no corners for them to sit and 'brood'. my one hen went and sat in the middle of the coop floor and tossed grass on her back!

they go barmey when they get like that. After I took the nests out, they were right as rain after 4 days.

P.S. though. I currently have a banty hen who was so broody I decided to give her some of my mom's eggs to hatch.

Including the days she has been on eggs and the time before that, she has been on that nest for 31 days now!

 

[abhaya]

you could get some fertile eggs and have babbies!!!!!!!!!

 

[Judy]

I just take them off the nest several times a day (3 or 4) and kind of stomp or chase at them til they get on their feet and start moving around, eating, etc. They go back on, but so far it's stopped the broodiness for 3 or 4 of them in a few days. Wouldn't always work I'm sure; some are much more determined than others. It's a good idea to make them move and eat anyway, though. Supposedly they leave the nest once a day to eat, drink and poop. Trouble is, some never leave. This at least ensures they get some nourishment.

If no one is laying, though, removing or closing the nests would certainly be simpler. If they don't just make a nest on the coop floor, of course.

The most sure fire way to break them is give them a few fertile eggs so they will have babies to raise, or buy a few chicks and slip them under the broody (probably best done at night.)

 

[hardmanzz93]

well they have a coop in a horse stable so the ground is hard so nothing to make a nest of. when they are not let out they stay in there plenty of room. closing the nest and chasing them often is definatly what im going to do.. but how will i know when to re open the nest so they can lay??

 

[chicken burger]

when they act more like chickens and less like grumpy dinosaurs.

They will stop puffing themselves up and complaining when you come near. they will be more interested in scratching around. they are much friendlier when they not broody too.