Broody hens.....

[birdgirl408]

I have had the experience with a recurrent broody hen, but now I think, I have another one. Is it possible that she will lay another egg after 14 hours. She laid this morning and now it's 8.00pm in the evening and she has gone into the nest box. She did try and go broody the other day, but hasn't shown signs of it since. Unfortunately I only have one crate to break this broodiness and have had to put another hen in it!!!

I know hens usually lay 24hrs apart, but is it possible she could lay again so soon? They are Buff Orpingtons btw.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My broody breaking box can sometimes contain multiple hens with a waiting list to get in. Yours is probably getting close to going fully broody. I will often put them in my box early and they still will lay an egg in it. I get them broke quickly and they resume sooner. Some are constant and repeat offenders, especially during their first laying season.

 

[birdgirl408]

Thanks for your quick reply. The problem is that I only have one small crate which wouldn't take two hens. Do I leave her in the nest box all night or shall I put her in the coop with the other two?

 

[birdgirl408]

I guess I will have to get a bigger crate!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you can I would remove her from the nestboxes, it might help keep her from getting too broody before your box is available. Sometimes when my bantam go broody the whole flock goes broody so I just block off the nests to break them all together. They sit in front of the boxes and squabble a lot, but eventually they all break.

The longer they are broody the longer it takes to break them. When caught early some can be broke in two days as opposed to the 3-5 days. I had so many broodies last year it was crazy, this year I've had two already, but the season is just beginning.

 

[birdgirl408]

Aww thanks for that OHLikes Dogs. Have removed her and put her in coop with other two, leaving one real broody in the crate. Have all these probs with just four hens and am getting another two in a months time! Guess we just love 'em aye? Thanks again for your advice.

I can usually break my regular broody within 4 to 5 days, then she lays quite soon after. These two others are first time layers and not been broody before.