Broody hen. What can I do?

[Ilovesilkiechickens1]

Either just let her set, or take the eggs. Carlisle is a cute name! Why did you name her that?

I’ve taken the eggs and held her until her legs were no longer stiff from sitting all day. She’s back to her normal self and is scouting for bugs with the rest of the flock. (Thank you, I named her after Carlisle Cullen because of her paleness and docile personality)

 

[Ilovesilkiechickens1]

That's not a very nice thing to do, no offense.

That’s why I didn’t respond. I simply removed her eggs and comforted her. She’s back to her happy self now.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Ok, but I’d like to know the best way of doing and causing her the least amount of stress. Should I simply remove her eggs, or is there a better way of breaking the broody.

This may have already been suggested but the tried and true method of breaking broodiness in a hen that has been used for centuries is an elevated wire bottom cage with no bedding. The cool air getting the their underside breaks the hormone cycle that causes them to want to raise a family.
Just removing eggs serves no purpose. I've had many broody hens set constantly on a nest with no eggs at all.
If caught early enough you can usually break a hen in as little as two days with the cage method. Just put a little food and water in the cage, raise it off the ground or bedding in a predator proof space.
Any other method prolongs the problem.

 

[aart]

This may have already been suggested but the tried and true method of breaking broodiness in a hen that has been used for centuries is an elevated wire bottom cage with no bedding.

Oh it has, but.....

That's not a very nice thing to do, no offense.

That’s why I didn’t respond. I simply removed her eggs and comforted her. She’s back to her happy self now.

 

[Ilovesilkiechickens1]

This may have already been suggested but the tried and true method of breaking broodiness in a hen that has been used for centuries is an elevated wire bottom cage with no bedding. The cool air getting the their underside breaks the hormone cycle that causes them to want to raise a family.
Just removing eggs serves no purpose. I've had many broody hens set constantly on a nest with no eggs at all.
If caught early enough you can usually break a hen in as little as two days with the cage method. Just put a little food and water in the cage, raise it off the ground or bedding in a predator proof space.
Any other method prolongs the problem.

It has been mentioned. I chose not to do this as I had mentioned I want to cause the animal the least amount of stress as possible. I removed the eggs and it worked. Thank you.

 

[Painted Calls]

I have them go broody with no eggs whatsoever.

I keep folding dog crates for broody jails. They fold up and store easily and set up easily.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It has been mentioned. I chose not to do this as I had mentioned I want to cause the animal the least amount of stress as possible. I removed the eggs and it worked. Thank you.

A broody hen wants to sit quietly in a trance and for the most part, doesn't experience stress during the cooling period.
We used to keep 100 leghorns in a large henhouse with a high roof. We always had about 3 homemade cages hanging from the ceiling of the henhouse. It seemed like there were always a couple hens, give or take, serving jail time. They never seemed stressed and none that I have had elevated in the years since ever exhibited much stress till they were cured and started pacing.
You are fortunate that removing eggs has worked for you. I've never experienced that. They usually just continue to sit patiently awaiting one of their flockmates to give them more eggs.
Perhaps she wasn't that dedicated to the process in the first place.

 

[Ilovesilkiechickens1]

A broody hen wants to sit quietly in a trance and for the most part, doesn't experience stress during the cooling period.
We used to keep 100 leghorns in a large henhouse with a high roof. We always had about 3 homemade cages hanging from the cieling of the henhouse. It seemed like there were always a couple hens, give or take, serving jail time. They never seemed stressed and none that I have had elevated in the years since ever exhibited much stress till they were cured and started pacing.
You are fortunate that removing eggs has worked for you. I've never experienced that. They usually just continue to sit patiently awaiting one of their flockmates to give them more eggs.
Perhaps she wasn't that dedicated to the process in the first place.

I’m not going to put my animal in an elevated cage. I’m not going to do that. I’m going to disagree with you and say that it probably causes stress.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

When my hen went broody in the fall, I kept removing her from the nest and putting her up on the roost. After 2 nights she had cooled off enough to break her broody-ness. It depends on having cold weather though. (And I don’t know about silkies and roosting, maybe it wouldn’t work in this instance.)

 

[Ilovesilkiechickens1]

When my hen went broody in the fall, I kept removing her from the nest and putting her up on the roost. After 2 nights she had cooled off enough to break her broody-ness. It depends on having cold weather though. (And I don’t know about silkies and roosting, maybe it wouldn’t work in this instance.)

She is all good and back to her normal self again. Thanks!