Okay so I've had this hen for 3 or 4 years. I've let her sit around 8 times. Each time she hatches out chicks she ends up killing them and I have to take whatever one's hatch and rear them myself. The last batch she hatched out she smashed, and I mean smashed flatter than a pancake, one of the little chicks. I wanted to eat her right then but Mom wouldn't let. Anyway, she gets broody pretty much every month. She's driving me crazy!!! I've tried putting her in a wire cage with no hay just food and water, it takes about 2 weeks and she's no longer broody but then about 3 weeks latter she's broody again. I have Marek's in my flock right now so I don't want any chicks hatching out, plus we have way too many chickens already, well Mom thinks so, I don't. Mom doesn't really want to sell her and neither do I I'd rather eat her, but not an option. Does anyone know of a way to permanently get her un-broody. I've tried scaring her, sicking my dog on her, throwing her in a cage, hanging her upside down for a few minutes. Nothing has worked so far?? Help?? Problem solved, free hen to good home. Yay! She's gone!!
I had one of my hens go broody on me. New hampshire red. All I did was visit her on a daily and remove the eggs she was sitting on. In about 1 week, she was over it. I Did not have to resort to drastic measures such as having my rat terriers chase her around my backyard or anything like that. I would say send her off to freezer camp or to the landfill. Unless she is a super egg layer, what's the point of having her around and eat your chicken feed? I would freezer camp her. Religious Remark ---> Even god culls, ever heard of Noah's ark?
Really, this hen doesn't sound like a keeper. She's neither good as a layer since she's so frequently stopping to brood, nor as a broody since her mothering instincts seem lacking. If she were mine I would get rid of her some how (sell, give, eat, bury) and replace her with a better hen. I don't think you're going to change her ways, and some of the methods you mentioned don't sound kind. Let Mom have the responsibility of caring for her.
