Broody hen, Just wait it out?

[coopdeville15]

Just started keeping chickens about a year ago, this is my first time dealing with a broody hen. Of my seven hens, only one is broody, one of two Buff Orpingtons. She stays on the nest even without any eggs. I understand that opinions vary as to how to deal with this. Should I intervene or just wait her out? Is there any downside to letting the hen be broody until she gets over it? She seems to be relatively healthy and gets up to eat a drink, whether it is enough I can't say. Her comb is pale so I assume she is not laying at the moment. The other hens are all fine, though egg production seems to have dropped in general some what. No new stressors to the flock other than warmer weather. What are your opinions?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Having a broody will often cause disruptions in a flock. As you've seen the production can drop and other hens may also go broody. There can also be some fighting between the broody and other hens.

The broody hen will lose weight and sometimes mites and lice can get out of control. You won't get any eggs out of her while she's broody and the longer she's broody the longer it will take for her to resume laying after she snaps out of it. If left to set she could sit up to 2 months or so before she stops and it could take 2-8 weeks to resume laying with the average being around 6 weeks if left broody.

 

[csaylorchickens]

I'd say stop it asap if you don't want a broody. She won't lay while broody and like oldhenlikesdogs said they can start a broody catastrophe lol
Broody breakers are awsome. I have one made from a all wire dog crate. I sit it up so air gets under it and leave the hen in there for 3 days, no less. I'll let her out once a day to dust bathe for a few min and forage but back she goes. 3 days normally works.
My last one was so broody I could t let her dust bathe she ran straight for the nest and even tried tricking me to get to it! Crazy hen lol