Broody hen

[yolka doodle]

Hi, Can anyone help please! I have a broody hen, (the in the middle of my profile picture) she has been laying on eggs for about 4 days now. She has moved nesting boxes so she must be getting out to eat and drink. I have read that i have to move her to a wire bottom cage to cool her down, but can i leave her be until she is over it or will that harm her? she is very aggresive when i try to touch her, which is understandable but i just want to do what is best for her. any advice would be grately appreciated. Thank you

 

[sumi]

Hello and welcome to BYC

Is she sitting on fertile eggs that you want her to hatch? If that's the case leave her to it. The eggs should hatch after ± 21 days and apart from food and water when she gets up and a safe, dry place to sit, the hen won't need anything.
Putting them in a wire cage helps break broodiness. It does cool the hen down, yes. Their body temperature goes up a bit when they are broody and putting them in a wire cage makes it difficult for them to maintain that temperature, so after a few days they give up and stop being broody. It's not harmful to the hen to do it this way.

 

[Ridgerunner]

In my opinion, you need to break her from being broody if you are not going to let her hatch eggs. Broody hens don't eat, drink, or exercize enough to maintain top health. They are stressed out and can be more susceptible to disease and parasites. Some can stay broody for months.

Here is a thread on breaking broodies. The only method I've ever tried is the wire bottomed cage method and it has always worked. I cannot vouch for any of the other methods.

Break a Broody Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2176186#p2176186

Good luck!

 

[yolka doodle]

Hi thank you for your reply. No the eggs are not fertile, it's sad that she wants babies and nothing is going to happen. What would happen if i Just leave her alone? i do have a wire cage but my rabbits are in there today as the escaped this morning and i was chasing them around the garden at 7:30am. i need to secure their cage first as we have lots of foxes nearby. thank you

 

[yolka doodle]

Hi Ridgerunner

sorry so slow typing only just see your reply.

i will put her in the cage today thank you for your repl yi will let you know how we get on

 

[jbirds2012]

 

[weimarmama]

& from Alabama. Glad you joined us.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Hello and welcome to BYC from Kentucky!

 

[Big A Chickens]

Hi and

So glad you joined us!!!

 

[PFSfarmer]

You will find great info and people here......