Broody Hen Thread!

[Morrigan]

Well, my attempt to break my broody hens be handing out chicks was only partially successful. I snuck in last night and put 2 under my Buff and one each under a Sussex and a 1 year old Sussex-mix. Insertion was no problem. I snuck up a hour later and everything seemed fine.

This morning I found the Buff happily mothering her chicks, but the two other chicks wailing away in a corner of the coop. I wasn't sure if they wandered out and "got lost," so I put them back under the hens. I watched for an hour and all seemed well. I went and had breakfast and found that the Sussex-mix and chased her baby out. She's been broody for 25 days, I thought she'd be thrilled. That baby went to the Buff, who happily took it. An hour later the Sussex kicked her baby out. I wasn't all that surprised, she had only been broody a few days, but I was hoping. So, Buff got chick #4 as well and immediately accepted it.

Now what to do? The other two hens are still broody as can be. I really don't think I gave them the best chance of success, handing out one chick each in a packed coop. I put them both out the yard, but they've already gone back to the nests and seem to be happy to sit on nothing. AI'm tempted to give them one more chance, this time sitting on real eggs, with the youngest hen confined to her own private quarters.

If that doesn't work, it's time to haul out an old rabbit cage and break them.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

It is hard on the broody to be broody for an extra long time. If you want to try eggs with one. Do the newer broody and see if you can break the one who has been at it longer. It would be better for her health than to be broody for 6 weeks. At least that's the route I would go. Good luck. Glad you had one good adoptive mama.

 

[Morrigan]

It is hard on the broody to be broody for an extra long time. If you want to try eggs with one. Do the newer broody and see if you can break the one who has been at it longer. It would be better for her health than to be broody for 6 weeks. At least that's the route I would go. Good luck. Glad you had one good adoptive mama.

They are both pretty good about nest breaks, but you are right, it would be better for them to be not broody. In the short term, I'm going to try physically moving them off the nest each morning and night and zealously removing eggs, and anything that looks like an egg, from the coop. I think I can get the Sussex to quit, but they younger one seems heavily committed. How I wish she had accepted that chick!

 

[varidgerunner]

Chickens are made to be broody. If your chicken has health problems from being broody, it is not because she was broody, it's because she was an unhealthy chicken. I have hens that regularly raise 2 broods a year, and usually three, I've had hens set blanks that I had shipped in and turn around and set another clutch and hatch them, six weeks continuous setting, on top of other broods. They can do it year in and year out, they can be still plugging away at 10 plus years. Some of mine start as young as six months. But if you have breeds that aren't as healthy and long lived, it might be best to break them from being broody.

 

[Morrigan]

Operation harass a broody has commenced. They've been pulled off the nest twice. They have returned, but look more alert and less trance-like. Next time I pull them, I'm going to remove the straw from their favorite boxes as well.

At least I have the pleasure of watching Buff with her 4 chicks. So cute.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I have found that the best way of breaking broodiness it to put the offender in a wire bottom cage( with food and water of course) and make sure that air is circulating under her. I have not had much luck with pulling them off the nest and keeping eggs away. I have had them sit on nothing in a nest for days, and pulling them off the nest just seems to annoy them.

Every bird handles it differently. Just my experience with what has worked best for me.

 

[Morrigan]

I have found that the best way of breaking broodiness it to put the offender in a wire bottom cage( with food and water of course) and make sure that air is circulating under her. I have not had much luck with pulling them off the nest and keeping eggs away. I have had them sit on nothing in a nest for days, and pulling them off the nest just seems to annoy them.

Every bird handles it differently. Just my experience with what has worked best for me.

That's plan B, if harassing them off the nests doesn't work. I've also heard of other people putting ice packs under the hens.

My hope is that with Fall coming on, maybe some of the broody-mania will wane and discouraging them from the nest boxes for a couple of days will be enough. At least they are spending a lot of time outside eating and drinking now as they are spending a few minutes out in the yard every time I remove them form the nests.

I'm just relieved that the two broodys haven't starting attacking or trying to steal the 4 chicks I gave to Buff. She is right there plunked in the middle of the coop with her babies. Duke has been standing guard, at least.

 

[microchick]

I've used the broody buster box that Puddin Fluff described with success. Usually only takes 3 days. Unfortunately with my hen, it wasn't a permanent fix. She went broody again 6 weeks later. Those hormones once switched on are hard to switch off. I don't even fight it anymore. I just give them some eggs and hope for best.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

For me it is all about timing and space. Every onetheir own system.

 

[BackyardMarana]

I bought some hens today some red sexlinks ,and 2 of the are broody and I think one of the white leghorns is too ,I have a question once a broody leaves her chicks when will she begin to lay again ?
Thanks for any help