Broody gone broody AGAIN - arrggg

[pontoosuc]

Believe me, when my hen went broody this spring I was elated!! Got 11 fertile eggs from a friend, she hatched 10!
What a wonderful few weeks we had watching all of this! Yes, more work but worth it.

Now she has gone broody again, and so has another of my flock of 15! (and the 10 babies - soon to be down to just 3)

What do you guys think? should I get more fertile eggs?, order some special breed fertile eggs? or,

STOP this broodiness????????

My coop is big enough, though cleaning every day is more of a pain with more chickens.

I'm giving away 7 of the spring babies, but how many friends can one find to give away chickens to?

 

[speckledhen]

I feel your pain! My own Emily, a black Rock, has gone broody for the 3rd time since November. Wouldn't be so bad if she hadn't QUIT at Day 17 both of the first two times!

I don't have any answers for you, though. I've never successfully broken a broody.

 

[Cosmopolis Chick]

Quote:
Giving away? I sell my pullets for $15 each, and my laying hens for $25.
Roos or old girls ya gotta give away.
JMOSBY

 

[Judy]

I have 3 broodies at the moment. I had 3 last week, too, but 2 were different chickens. I also have two sets of partly grown chicks, raised by broodies. I don't want more chicks at the moment so the broodies are sitting on pine shavings only.

You can try breaking them if you wish. If you have a wire cage, put one in there with no nesting material, nothing but food and water, for a few days or until she gets restless. Prop the cage up on concrete blocks or whatever, so there is air flow to her belly. If you happen to have a concrete floor place you can put her, this (I have read) also works as it is cool. I've never had much luck breaking one, so I just take them off the nest every time I'm in the coop and make them get moving, eat, drink, etc. Usually they give up in a few weeks. And at least they get a little more food and exercise this way.

Really, the easiest way to break a persistent one is either give them fertile eggs or baby chicks (do the chicks at night, only very young ones.)

 

[ThinkingChickens]

Sell them for the chicken fund. I paid $12-$17 for my girls at six weeks. I also purchased week old or two week old (I've forgotten) for $2.50 each or so.

 

[GAGE]

I have three at the moment, a welsummer, australorp, and a serama. I only have three nesting boxes and I do not need anymore chikens.

 

[NanaLantana]

Just last night I gave my broody of 3 weeks some new chicks. She accepted them, and I expect her to raise them. But I DO hope she doesn't do it again for a long time. I tried breaking her, but she wouldn't break. So I thought, if you can't beat them, join them. I didn't really need more chickens! But on that note, I see that more people are looking into getting a few backyard hens. If I were you, I'd sell some young hens in sets of 3 - make it a package, different colors if you have them. I'll bet lots of people would want to buy them from you. Then you'll look at it in a better light, instead of having to 'give them away' like unwanted puppies, they'd turn a small profit. Make them pay for their feed!

 

[newlyweds]

I love a good broody, I am always incubating, selling, hatching. It's so much easier if you have a good broody hen, don't give your excess chicks away, sell them on craiglist or at your local feed store, easy peasy.

Hope you find some eggs to stick under her. I have Olive Egger hatching eggs available if your interested!!

 

[pontoosuc]

thanks everyone for your support and input. I'm going to try to stop the broodiness. I'll keep track of it all and see what works.

If it doesn't work then off to find some fertile eggs and just go with what mother nature wants from these hens!

I'll keep you posted.