Broody Hen Issues!!!

[Szollman]

I have a cochin banty hen that has been broody for months. I've moved her off the nest countless times, tried using icepacks to cool her belly a little, destroyed the nest she was sitting on. She won't eat or drink and has lost weight. When I move her off the nest, she puffs up and runs right back in the hen house and jumps on the nest. The cooling did nothing. When I took apart her nest and put something over it so she couldn't sit there anymore, she just moved to another nest until there was nowhere for my hens to lay. I had some fake eggs down, and let her sit thinking when they didn't hatch she'd give up, but no luck. I took them up and she still sits on an empty nest! I would allow her to hatch an egg, but I'm afraid it's too late in the season and the chick won't make it. She needs to put on some meat before the cold seson, any ideas how to cure this broodiness?? HELP!

 

[nuttyredhead]

Aww give her a few eggs!!! My broody hatched hers out in the dead of winter!!!!! Plus it is so fun!!!!

 

[justin24]

let her hatch 2-3 eggs babies will be fine with their momther she will be ok

 

[klmclain1]

if you decide you don't want her to hatch any eggs, you can put her in something like a wire dog kennel suspended off the ground. I just put our3x4 kennel up on 2x4 pieces of wood so it was off the ground about 2 inches. I put a large piece of hardware cloth on the bottom and a piece of our split firewood on that for my broody to sit on. No nesting material. I put a waterer in it (I use the ones with the metal ball bearing), and a small feeder in it too. It took my girl about 4 days before she got over it. I did let her out everyday to free-range with her pals for about two hours - but during that time I shut them all out of the coop. After a few days, I opened the coop and she jumped right in and up to the nest - my sign that she was not done. Tried again the next and she stayed out.

good luck!

 

[Judy]

I agree; the wire dog kennel with air underneath is what I usually see recommended. Probably hatching some eggs, or slipping a couple of day old chicks under her at night, is the only better way. I once had to order eggs to stop a broody. I also agree, let her hatch them in winter, they will do fine, without added heat. I wish you both luck.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I have a Black Star that was like that. She tried three times to brood a few eggs after I repeatedly tried to break her. The first two something always happened to the eggs. A few disappeared, got stepped on etc. By the time she was on her third try her comb was pale and I was worried for her health. She finally hatched one and left the last partially hatched chick to care for the other one. I put it in the hatcher and let it finish. I put it back under her that night. Here is the happy family. GOOD LUCK TRYING TO BREAK A BROODY.

 

[nuchickontheblock]

I had a hen whose was broody week after week for most of the summer. we did the destroy her nest and block access to the area, keep taking her out of the coop nest box, cold baths, etc. and nothing worked. She was pitiful. We finally put her into the elevated wire cage with some food and water. It only took a few days and she was done. If you don't want any chicks, I'd recommend the cage.