Broody hen, but I don't want chicks. What to do?

[lesliep6]

My year old australorp has gone broody for almost a week now. We don't have a rooster and I don't want any chicks anyway. Is there a way to make her unbroody? I've been taking the eggs away from her thinking that she would get up if she didn't have anything to set on, it makes no difference. Is that some kind of cruel and unusual punishment? I'm new to this. Please help.

Also should I put some food in her nest box or not? I haven't been--- thinking that closeby food would only encourage her to stay put.

I have some 13 week olds (two are boys) who like to cram into the nest boxes at night, and I've noticed one or two in there with my broody girl. Is this unusual?

Thanks for your help!

 

[SamuelMcF]

Get a wire bottom cage and put her in it somewhere she can't see the old nest. The air flowing underneath her will usually make them snap out of it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You might try reading this thread.

Break a Broody Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2176186#p2176186

 

[MommyMagpie]

I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but if you don't have a roo then she could sit on those eggs until the apocalypse and you'd never get chicks.

One of our older girls went broody last spring and 3 days in chicken jail solved it. (We don't have a roo either, but it is annoying to be pecked and hissed at when you collect the eggs)

 

[lesliep6]

I just meant that I didn't want to go the route of giving her fertilized eggs to set on.

I think I'm going to get my dog's crate out and try that. Can I put her and the crate in the coop at night? Or should she be someplace totally different?

Thanks!

 

[Lisa202]

I broke the last 3 broodies I had by just taking them off the nest every time I went out to the coop. I would take whatever eggs they collected and either put them outside or push them off. One stayed for about 8 days and the other 2 less then a week. I guess if you annoy them enough they eventually quit. Anyway, this worked for me...for now.

 

[MommyMagpie]

Quote:
Oh, ok. No offense meant

And a dog crate is what we used to break ours when she went broody; I set it on two planks to raise it up off the ground and put a tarp over it at night (our coop is not big enough to move the whole thing in there).

 

[Ridgerunner]

You can put her wherever you want, but it needs to be predator proof.

 

[lesliep6]

No offense taken. Though I'm new to chickens, I do understand the rooster concept.

Thanks for the advise.

 

[Kat'sChicks]

I have a 3 yr. old BO that's been broody all summer......and isn't sitting on any eggs! Sometimes they just don't get it. We've moved her, tried a cage, used a wire-bottom one, etc. I've never had a broody this determined......I could give her a fertile egg or two, but I don't need more babies, really..........good luck!