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Broody hen getting beat up on by the rest of the flock

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by switters, May 21, 2010.

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  1. May 21, 2010 #1
    switters

    switters In the Brooder

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    Two questions here:

    1) One of our hens has gone broody. She's sitting on eggs, or even just in the nest if we take the eggs, most of the day (and I assume night, since when I opened the coop door this morning at 6:00 she was sitting in the nest). Not entirely sure what to do about this.

    2) All of the other hens have started to pick on the broody one. They chase her around, peck at her, jump on top of her, etc. This is completely new, and it started happening when she got broody so I'm assuming there's a connection?

    Thanks for your help!
     
  2. May 21, 2010 #2
    Hens4Fun

    Hens4Fun Songster

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    [​IMG] Yep ... if I kick my broody hens out of the box they are sitting in to make them eat and drink ... the other hens tend to pick at them as well. They tend to eat a bit and drink some water, then back to their box of choice steering clear of the other hens. I don't worry about it too much because they do stay to themselves.
     
  3. May 22, 2010 #3
    elmo

    elmo Songster

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    Do you want her to set the eggs or not?

    If not, you can search here for threads about how to "break a broody." If you do (and the eggs are fertile), I'd move her and her nest to a separate pen so she can have some peace and quiet. And in about 21 days you'll have some new chicks.
     
  4. May 22, 2010 #4
    switters

    switters In the Brooder

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    Sorry, I should have been more clear.

    We're in an urban area that doesn't permit roosters, so the eggs are unfertilized. We already have nine hens, which is a stretch for our urban homestead, so we don't want any more.

    I searched for "broody" and read several threads, but didn't come up with much.
     
  5. May 22, 2010 #5
    okiehen

    okiehen Songster

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    To break a broody you will need to put her in a wire crate. With food and water no nest.
    Keep the crate in your coop. It would be best with a wire bottom and set it up so air is under her.
    It will take about a week for most and may take longer.
    She still may go back to being broody later so be prepared to do it again.
    What breed of hen is she?
     
  6. May 22, 2010 #6
    Ridgerunner

    Ridgerunner Free Ranging 9 Years

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  7. May 22, 2010 #7
    switters

    switters In the Brooder

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    She's a Buff Orpington. We don't have much extra space in the coop for a separate crate with wire bottom, but maybe we can reorganize things a bit.
     
  8. May 22, 2010 #8
    Darlasmum

    Darlasmum Songster

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    My BO is also broody- week 3- w/o a rooster in sight. I moved the nest- she sat on the house floor in the same spot. I locked her out of the house- she stood at the door for the whole day. I have kicked her out and she will enjoy the yard eating and dust bathing then after an hour she wants back into the coop. My 2 others are also hen-pecking her i guess for acting 'weird'. Her comb is dry, pale and crumpled- shes probably dehydrated. i cant bring myself to cage her or dunk her bum in water- so i am waiting it out.
     
  9. May 23, 2010 #9
    switters

    switters In the Brooder

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    Okay, we're considering two possibilities now:

    1. Get some fertilized eggs and allow our Buffy to hatch them and raise the chicks. Then sell them when they become a little older.

    2. Put her in a wire-bottomed cage as suggested in the other thread.

    Question: would either of these two methods have a greater chance of "breaking" her of her broodiness? i.e. is she less likely to become broody again with one or the other of these methods?
     
  10. May 23, 2010 #10
    Ridgerunner

    Ridgerunner Free Ranging 9 Years

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    Either way will break her, but there is no telling how long it will be before she goes broody again. With either method, sometimes in just a few months and sometimes never. I've put broodies in the broody buster and they have never gone broody again but others would go broody again in a few months. Same with broodies that have raised chicks, though these usually wait a while.
     
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