Broody hen help

[LadyCluckington]

Yesterday one of my ladies decided she wanted to be a momma. She is about a year old and this is the first time any of my ladies have gone broody so this is completely new to me. The problem is we don't have a roo; so no fertilized eggs here. Will it hurt for her to sit on something, such as a golf ball, until the urge passes or should I try to break her of it? How long will a hen stay broody? If I let her sit will she leave the coop to eat and drink or should i place food and water inside the coop so that she won't starve/dehydrate? Thank in advance for any help

 

[happyhens1972]

Personally, I would try to break her of it, not encourage it unless you can get her some fertile eggs to hatch. There is no reason for her 'urge' to pass until she gets....or doesn't get....chicks so if she is serious, that is at least a month or more of her sitting, losing condition and vigour, completely wasting her time on dummy eggs. If she only went down yesterday, it is early enough for you to make an earnest effort at breaking her broodiness.

 

[LadyCluckington]

Yeah, I kinda thought it would be best to break her too, although I was hoping that it wouldn't hurt just leave her be.. oh well.Thanks for the input.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Broodies lose a lot of weight and that can affect their health. I would not just let her sit, either find some fertile eggs for her to hatch or break her. You can check out the Buy/Sell/Trade area for hatching eggs.

 

[donrae]

Agree with the above. Brooding is hard on the hen. As stated, if she's just started, a few days in a wire cage should snap her right out of it and back to laying.

 

[LadyCluckington]

thanks!

 

[LadyCluckington]

Ok, another question. If I keep pushing her out of the nesting box will that eventually break her or do I have to use the wire cage method? I don't have a wire cage and really don't want to have to go buy one. Are there any other methods to break her broodiness? Thanks!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Other than letting her hatch chicks, the wire cage is the best way to break her brooding. It's a hormonal change, but the wire cage set above the ground with no nesting material (only food/water) allows the air flow to cool her belly. I've never broken a hen, I give them eggs, but some hens can be stubborn and return to brooding within the month.

 

[donrae]

You can try going out multiple times a day and pushing her off, but they're pretty persistent. Any way you can block her access to the nest boxes? That can help, but sometimes they still nest on bare ground.

 

[LadyCluckington]

Thank you both. I guess I'll have to go out and get/make a wire cage..