Broody Hen?

[NRHobbyFarm]

Good morning. I believe my calico Princess Ariel has gone broody. She went into the chicken house last night and instead of roosting went to the nest box. She was still there this morning and when I went to touch her she bit my finger. Will she continue to lay eggs or is she just trying to hatch a ceramic egg? I collected her egg yesterday so unless she is continuing to lay I need to discourage her from staying on the nest. Please give me advice I’m new to this and this is my first broody gal.

 

[nuthatched]

If she's growling and fluffing up, she's broody. Broody hens don't lay at all. You can break her by putting her in a dog kennel with a wire bottom so she can get air on her underneath.

 

[NRHobbyFarm]

If she's growling and fluffing up, she's broody. Broody hens don't lay at all. You can break her by putting her in a dog kennel with a wire bottom so she can get air on her underneath.

Well she has pecked me everytime I’ve tried to touch her and she isn’t usually a ray of sunshine anyway but will eat out of my hand when she feels like it. I’ve read you can put frozen waterbottles under them to break them is that safe or useless.

 

[NRHobbyFarm]

If she's growling and fluffing up, she's broody. Broody hens don't lay at all. You can break her by putting her in a dog kennel with a wire bottom so she can get air on her underneath.

Or I may try to slip one of my barred rock gals eggs under her tomorrow

 

[nuthatched]

Well she has pecked me everytime I’ve tried to touch her and she isn’t usually a ray of sunshine anyway but will eat out of my hand when she feels like it. I’ve read you can put frozen waterbottles under them to break them is that safe or useless.

It's safe, but you need to do it all day. You can also keep taking her out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Caging is the standard way to break them, quick and easy. I don't like to make things any more complicated than they need to be. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

 

[aart]

You need to be able to handle her, get over the fear of getting bitten.
Wear long sleeves and gloves if needed.
Put her on the roost at night after dark.

 

[NRHobbyFarm]

Oh I’m not scared her biting after the first I did put on my ranch gloves I’m scared of accidentally hurting her

 

[aart]

Oh I’m not scared her biting after the first I did put on my ranch gloves I’m scared of accidentally hurting her

It can be tricky getting them out of a nest, but at times it's got to be done.
Holding the wings down will help, then just be careful of the feet/legs getting caught on the edges of the nest.