broody hen question

[Keene's coop]

i have a cochin that has gone broody. how do i break her of this. i am getting a little tired of being attacked when i collect eggs. we have one nest box and 4 chickens and no way to seperate her from the rest. any suggestions? and if i decide to put a fertile egg under her, how are the other hens gonna react to the baby chick?

 

[MyPetsMakeMeBreakfast]

What i heard that works good is to pick up your hen every few minutes and walk around with her.
Not sure how that works, though.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This thread may help you break her. There are several different ways suggested, but I favor the wire cage.

Break a Broody Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2176186#p2176186

How will the other hens react to a baby chick? Nobody knows. Each chicken has its own individual personality and will react in its own way. Hens have been raising chicks with the flock for thousands of years. Sometimes it goes without a problem and sometimes there are disasters. Some of the things I think are critical are the personality of your broody, the personality of the other hens, and how much space you have.

Most broodies are very protective of their chicks. They have a real bad attitude and don't hesitate to wade into any other hen or rooster that is a threat to their chicks and teach them that these chicks are to be left alone. But not all broodies are that way. For whatever reason, some do not protect their chicks. You really cannot tell how your broody will act until she is in that position. Some of the meekest, mildest hens can become extremely ferocious when their chicks are threatened, but some don't.

Some flocks have chickens in them that seek out and destroy any weaker chick or chicken. Most don't and Mama will usually change the mindset of most of those, but there are some that are just relentless. It is usually hens, not roosters, but it can be either.

If Mama has enough room to work with, she will normally keep her chicks separated a bit from the rest of the flock. Not necessarily in total isolation, but on the outskirts so there are fewer chances for conflict. If space is tight, Mama might not be able to keep them out of harms way.

I can't tell you how yours will react. I let my broodies raise chicks with the flock and really don't have any problems, but then I have a lot of room.

Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!!!

 

[Keene's coop]

thank you

 

[chickschool]

I have two silkie hens that go broody often. I took mine out of the coop and put them in a dog kennel for the weekend and that's all it took.