broody hen

luvthechix · Jul 26, 2011

Hello,

One of my five hens, who also happens to be lowest in the hen hierarchy, has gotten very broody and sits in the nest box, on the eggs all day long. We have two nest boxes but for some reason all the hens want to lay in the one she sits in...she will move briefly so the other hens can lay, but then she is right back in there! Sometimes I physically remove her from the box and I make sure to gather the eggs everyday, ASAP. I know she is probably thinking she is incubating the eggs but this has been going on for a while now.... any suggestions on how to break this behavior? Maybe I worry too much, but she isn't eating, drinking, or getting enough sunlight because she is always in the coop....

Thanks!

Country Heart · Jul 26, 2011

With my last broody I let her sit the full 21 days on wooden eggs, then locked her out of the nest box. By the end of the day she was running around with the flock again. Sometimes I think you just have to let the hormones run their course.

You could also try locking her in an elevated wire cage that allows for air flow under her bottom. Sometimes this can take three or four days to do the trick.

Good luck!