Broody Hen... Help!

[Leine]

One of my Buff Orpingtons has recently gone broody. There are currently no roosters in the coop, and she is with six other hens. She had been coming outside for a few minutes for food, but today she stayed in the nesting box. I haven't tried taking the eggs yet, but I don't think it's going to help.
I've read about the caging method for breaking broody hens, but I'd rather try something else.
If I closed the door to the coop (keeping the chickens in the run) for the day and let them in at night, would it help?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Blocking her from her nesting area may help...or it may not.

It depends upon how determined they are. Some will simply set up shop on the ground in front of the door.

For those determined as such, I put fertile eggs under them and hatch chicks...but that is me.

If you are very persistent, you can block her out, give her food treats to get her up and foraging, over a week, I have had them snap out of it.

LofMc

 

[Leine]

I'll try blocking her nesting box and see what happens.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Had 3 Wynadottes take turns going broody It was NOT FUN! Tried the removing whenever in the nest box, makes for many trips to remove them. Blocking the nest box, she just paced back & forth which made me nervous. I finally broke down & went with the wire cage, so glad I did....Kept it in the run with the rest of them (never having to reintroduce); the most stubborn one took several days, one was just a day, the other couple of days. I too thought the wire cage method "mean" but found it was the simplest, fastest and less traumatic.

 

[Leine]

Hmm... if blocking the nesting box and taking the eggs doesn't work, I may try the caging method. I would just give her fertile eggs, but last time I had a broody hen, the majority of the eggs didn't hatch. And half of the chicks that did hatch didn't make it.

 

[Leine]

But on second thought, I do need some more EEs. I lost my last one a month ago.
If I were to give her fertile eggs, where should I get them?

 

[BYC910]

Like ChickNanny 13 said The wire cage is the easiest method . It should be raised so it off the ground .Also a cooling fan blowing air on the bottom will speed things up. I have three going into wire gages in the next couple of days.