Broody hen -_-

[laircy]

We don't have a rooster, but Butterscotch is broody again (she was several months ago too). She will sit on the eggs 24/7 if I don't take her out and make her eat and drink. Even if there are no eggs she still sits there. When she does come out, she's all puffed up and constantly clucks angrily. Today she attacked Palila and there's blood all over the backyard. This is getting out of hand. How can I stop this madness as soon as possible?

 

[jjdward]

Well, one thing you can do is find somebody close that may have fertilized eggs that she can sit on and hatch. That may "break the cycle" so to speak. Other than that, try putting her in a wire cage all by herself. Kinda small one if you have it. I have heard that will work. Nature is a crazy lady!!!! lol

Good luck!!!!

 

[Pinky]

If you want chicks you can buy some at a feed store and stick them under her.

 

[calicokat]

We have also taken the opportunity to swap those not fertile eggs for baby chicks in the middle of the night.

If you're willing to have a handful of chicks, now would be a good time!

 

[azygous]

To break the broody urge, you need to keep cool air circulating under her. She craves a warm, dark, snug place and will then go into a trance once she's found it. For a month she won't want to eat or drink, and being around her flock mates will infuriate her - she just wants to be alone!

What I do when I see the first sign of a hen going broody, even before she plants herself on a nest, when she starts that incessant, low, broody clucking, I put her into an open-mesh bottomed cage inside the run if it's daytime, and inside the garage at night with a fan blowing under her during the night. I let her out every couple hours during the day to eat and drink, but without access to the coop. This prevents her from losing her rank in the pecking order, and counters the urge to be alone.

Usually, with this method, I can return a broody to normal life within two days, and two nights.

 

[sillyovrsilkies]

Quote:
Good...I'm not the only one experiencing this crazy broody stuff! I had one silkie go broody, then another, and finally a third!! They're all cramming themselves into the nest boxes and won't come off unless I make them. I've been taking their eggs b/c they're not fertilized (no roo in the run w/ them) and thought they'd figure out that they weren't sittin' on anything, but I guess they don't care! HA!

The post concerning the cool air and keeping them separated sounds like a good idea; however, I cannot forsee going to that extreme every time I have a broody girl. UGH! I don't really have a good way to separate...I'm not really interested in purchasing more chicks though either...guess I'll wait it out.