Broody hen setting without eggs

[RedHillChicken]

We have a black Americana hen who's going broody, except she's not sitting on any eggs. We took her egg out this morning along with the ceramic eggs we put in the nesting box to encourage our 19-20 week old hens to lay there. How do we discourage her broodiness?

 

[sourland]

You will have to block her access to the nest site. Either by placing her in a wire 'breaking' cage or placing her in another coop.

 

[Jim Q]

We're also new chicken owners and 4 out of our 9 chickens started laying within the last 4 weeks. However the first Buff Orlington to lay went broody this week. We were kind of shocked it happened so fast but after a little bit of work we broke her of it. We removed the fake eggs and hers out of our 3 nest boxes and kept an eye on when she went into the nest boxes during the day (which was always) We would gently remove her but hold her for awhile and walk around with her in our arms talking to her. Then we put her on the ground with the others and gave everyone treats and some scratch. Gradually she stayed out with the others longer. In late afternoon we put cardboard boxes into the next boxes to close off access to nest boxes. This made her have to fly up to the coop roosts at night with the others. After two nights of this, she's back to normal. We're happy and she's good. Then again ... this may just be an elaborate plot our leghorns 'hatched' with the Buff to get extra treats.

 

[FunClucks]

I had a BO who went broody in the nest box on no eggs. I put her in a broody breaker crate, and she decided to brood on her dog dish food bowl. I guess it's time for the chick feeder to make a reappearance.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How to set up a breaker cage: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

Don't mess around with "being nice" in not wanting to cage her - sooner you break her, faster it goes, and less disruption in the flock.

 

[RedHillChicken]

How to set up a breaker cage: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

Don't mess around with "being nice" in not wanting to cage her - sooner you break her, faster it goes, and less disruption in the flock.

So we put her in a dog cage in the garage 5 days ago, away from the coop. She's not eating much, maybe a bit of watermelon and some mealworms. Is there a way to tell if she's stopped being broody, other than putting her back out with the other chickens?

 

[rosemarythyme]

So we put her in a dog cage in the garage 5 days ago, away from the coop. She's not eating much, maybe a bit of watermelon and some mealworms. Is there a way to tell if she's stopped being broody, other than putting her back out with the other chickens?

It's really the best way to test, as some birds may stop other behaviors like the broody clucking, and yet still want to run into a nest as soon as your back is turned.

Since she's been away for 5 days you may need to reintegrate her as if she were a newcomer, unless the rest of the flock has access to the garage to see and hear her?