Broody Hen

[Peaches1969]

Hi all. My husband and I are new owners of 5 leghorns and we have one that has become broody. She has been coming out on her own once a day to stretch her legs and have a drink and poop then goes back into the nesting box and assumes the ‘frozen in time’ pose. She is eating when I take it to her mouth but not coming out at dinner time with all the others.
I’ve researched experiences and knowledge on here (everyone is so amazing and generous with their knowledge) and am wondering if locking her out of the nesting coop for the day and making her socialise with the others until bedtime would work just as well as separating her?
Everyone else lays early and have been literally laying right next to her in the box so I know that’s all the eggs we’ll get for the day and they won’t need the access.
I’ve also been taking the eggs (that the others are laying) from under her each day so she’s not sitting on anything.
We don’t have a rooster either so I know they’re not fertilised.
I really appreciate your advice on this.

 

[MissChick@dee]

I wouldn’t lock her in. I’d lock her out. Crate her for a couple days during laying hours. She can loose a lot of vital weight especially with winter coming.

 

[Peaches1969]

Thanks for your reply.
Locking her out is what I’m planning. The girls are all free range during the day and run back to the coop on their own accord to lay and then head back out again to keep foraging. I’m pretty proud of them for that. They get locked in a large pen with their nesting boxes and roosts in a coop within that every night at dinner time.
I’m sorry I didn’t specify, I’m Aussie. We are just starting summer.
So if I lock her out of access from the nesting boxes and encourage her to chill with the other girls as they free range and then let her back in at bedtime do you think this would work as opposed to crating her ? It’s pretty much their routine anyway except for the quick nips back to lay an egg. It’s just that she is staying in all day ...

 

[Peaches1969]

 

[Peaches1969]

so this is the ‘box’ where they get locked in at night, in the pen enclosure which they are locked in at dinner time to eat bathe and relax before bed. They have access to inside via the saloon doors but I’m in the process of training them to go in and out the little flap door (currently covered with a carpet square). All access to outside gets closed off once they settle themselves on their roosts. That’s usually before dark.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Yes it would work as long as she doesn’t have access to the box. Make sure she’s not in the box isolating for another reason. Meaning illness or injury or egg bound. Watch her behavior and intake of food and water. It sounds like she’s broody from what you described.
You didn’t state her age. If she’s a younger hen just coming into laying their hormones can make them act a bit goofy. Best wishes

 

[Peaches1969]

She is a younger hen yes. She has been laying regularly since we got her and the others a few months ago from the local pet produce store.
Goofy is an understatement.
When comes running out for a drink and stretch she looks like a madwoman at a Boxing Day Sale with no plan.....

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I break mine by blocking off the nests at night so they have to roost. Takes about a week. If you do that and block them off during the day, that would be even better.

 

[MissChick@dee]

She is a younger hen yes. She has been laying regularly since we got her and the others a few months ago from the local pet produce store.
Goofy is an understatement.
When comes running out for a drink and stretch she looks like a madwoman at a Boxing Day Sale with no plan.....

I have NO IDEA what a Boxing Day sale IS!! Must be a Australian thing...I visualized people running around crazed to buy empty boxes

 

[Peaches1969]

Haha. I see where you could get that impression
Boxing Day Sale = day after Xmas sales at all major shopping centres = line ups at doors waiting to open so crowds of crazy women can climb over each other to dive into bargain bins for a discounted sweater that has another woman attached to the other end.....
Not my thing really.
Blocking the nests off at night too is a great idea. I’ll try it tonight.
She’s been locked out all day today and doing ok. Really wants to get in past the closed doors but gives up after a bit and goes back to the other girls for a while, then repeat process.
They know a LOT of really good swear words though.......