Broody Hen?

[Susan Dye]

Is it necessary to really do anything except shoo her away from her favorite nesting box if there are no roosters in our flock to worry about fertilized eggs? Babz really puffed up gave me a piece of her mind today when I went in the coop to shoo her out. BUT...she still enjoyed the banana with the rest of the flock.
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She looks almost prehistoric ! Pretty, but kind of scary too.

 

[Col1948]

Fingers crossed Su, I couldn't help it I let mine out of the dog crate this morning as I opened the coop to let the others out, she immediately joined them and went to the feed, then went off in the garden like a race horse.
I watched for about an hour and a half and she stayed with the flock, I won't take down the dog crate just yet till I'm sure she is out of it.

 

[Col1948]

I left it till lunchtime and she is still out with the flock, a couple have been in and laid an egg but she hasn't gone in to sit on them, I removed them too by the way just in case but so far so good.

 

[Susan Dye]

I left it till lunchtime and she is still out with the flock, a couple have been in and laid an egg but she hasn't gone in to sit on them, I removed them too by the way just in case but so far so good.

Let's hope we both are at an end to the broody season. Betty is also still out in the yard this morning. She's such a sweetheart and I'm sure she would make a great little mother hen. I think next year, if I need to add to my flock, I'll wait until she goes broody and slip a couple of baby chicks under her for her to raise. Wish I'd thought of it this year.

 

[aart]

I left it till lunchtime and she is still out with the flock, a couple have been in and laid an egg but she hasn't gone in to sit on them, I removed them too by the way just in case but so far so good.

Sometimes it doesn't take much to break them...keep an eye on her tho.
If they are all done laying for the day, might be good to block the nests.

 

[beth1004]

I set my 2 broodys in a dog crate yesterday. Hoping they decide this isn't worth the separation. If they seem determined, how much success have y'all had selling mutt chicks. Dad would be a barred rock, moms would be buff orpingtons or amaeracaunas. Not getting many amaracauna eggs because one has babies and one is broody, that leaves only one to lay.

 

[aart]

If they seem determined, how much success have y'all had selling mutt chicks.

Selling mutt chicks is probably harder than breaking a broody.

 

[Susan Dye]

Sometimes it doesn't take much to break them...keep an eye on her tho.
If they are all done laying for the day, might be good to block the nests.

Of course i just went out to check on her and she was back on the nest. I will be blocking the nests later. I just wish the other girls would be consistent with laying early and getting it over with. Instead, I've got some who sometimes don't lay until late in the afternoon. If I don't get 5 eggs early, I've got to wait until after 5 PM to be sure they are done. Silly girls. Don't they know they are suppose to all lay their eggs by 10 AM?

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I'm beginning to think that the best response to this annoying behavior is to eat the broody hen. Make sure you have enough layers on hand to make up for the lost eggs, which she isn't giving you any more anyway.

 

[beth1004]

Selling mutt chicks is probably harder than breaking a broody.

That’s what I figured. I wish there were a vaccine to prevent broodiness. Oh well.