Broody Hen

bowmanspeeps

In the Brooder
9 Years
Feb 6, 2010
10
0
22
I let one of my hens nest in one of the laying boxes and all of a sudden all my hens have gone broody. I was getting 18 eggs a day and last two days getting 2. Should I move the hen on the nest to a separate pen? Help!
 
All of them?? I wish I had an answer for you. I am waiting on a broody now, but I am definitely moving her after a week or so of brooding. Her and her brood will go into a brooder box to protect the babies. Last time we tried to let a broody go in the coop the hens killed the chicks as they hatched.

The only other thing I know to stop broodies is to remove the eggs! Hope someone who knows more about this than I answers you!
 
Help us with the math here, do you have 16 hens that have all gone broody at once? Though that is possible, I don't think it's probable. Are they all setting tight on nests refusing to move? That's what a broody does. If you aren't finding as many eggs but all the hens are moving around as usual, then perhaps you should check under your original broody hen. Hens often find the sight of a brooding hen irresistable and want to lay their eggs in her nest too. Your broody may be setting on everyone else's eggs.

It's ideal to move a broody hen to her own space, to keep other hens from bothering her and to keep her from getting misdirected on her way back from her coffee breaks and going to set on a different nest.
 
I have kicked two or three out every day off the boxes, I counted the broody hens eggs and don't think she has added any more...I am going to separate her tomorrow.
 

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