Broody hen

[cowgirlmommy]

I have a Buff who is about 9 months old. As a chick and pullet she was one of my sweeter, more docile girls. In the last couple months she's gone broody and progressively gotten very mean. She now only respects the head hen but has otherwise gone from the bottom half of the pecking order to being aggressive with all the other girls aside from her best pal. She's even drawn blood on one of my favorite hens and has begun pecking at my kids and I when we go to collect eggs. My question is how long does this broody phase last and will she go back to her former sweet personality when it's over? I'm ready to get rid of her since she's become so mean and attacking my other sweet girls. But I know I'll eventually want a broody hen for hatching eggs. Any advice?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Broodies are a force you don't want to mess with. My girl was a biting monster when broody and raising her chicks. But she's weaned them now and back to her sweet self.

Either break her, which involves a wire cage, or let her hatch some chicks.