Broody Hens

[MarkRainbolt]

Just curious why such a big deal about broody hens? I keep reading post after post on how do I stop my hen from being broody. Chickens are going too get broody so just let them if you don’t want to hatch eggs just take the eggs away and eventually they will quit being broody.
Mark

 

[Happy hen lover]

Broody hens don't lay, they stop eating and drinking like normal so this disturbs their immune systems. It's hard on them .

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

It doesn't work. They steal eggs from other hens. You can collect the eggs every day and you will still have a broody hen.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Plus they're B's. !!!

 

[Tmartin7711]

Best way to break a broody hen is to put her in a cage with wire on the bottom. So there is air flow under her. Being broody is hard on them but they are designed for it. I'm a breeder and only hatch with my mama hens. What I do is put them in a separate cage with food and water then every day I let them out for 15 minutes to take a dust bath and stretch.

 

[aart]

Just curious why such a big deal about broody hens? I keep reading post after post on how do I stop my hen from being broody. Chickens are going too get broody so just let them if you don’t want to hatch eggs just take the eggs away and eventually they will quit being broody.
Mark

It can detrimental to their health as the lose condition by not eating or drinking as much.
Depending on your set up it can also be disruptive to the flock dynamics.
Might be fine for you to let a bird sit for weeks on end(they don't always stop at 21 days),
but others don't want that scenario.

 

[dianefbarfield]

Just curious why such a big deal about broody hens? I keep reading post after post on how do I stop my hen from being broody. Chickens are going too get broody so just let them if you don’t want to hatch eggs just take the eggs away and eventually they will quit being broody.
Mark

I only have 11 chickens. Three are mature enough to lay. My best layer went broody. She got over it pretty quick and is back to normal except no eggs for several days. I hope she starts laying again soon. She is healthy in all other ways.

 

[MJJenson]

Best way to break a broody hen is to put her in a cage with wire on the bottom. So there is air flow under her. Being broody is hard on them but they are designed for it. I'm a breeder and only hatch with my mama hens. What I do is put them in a separate cage with food and water then every day I let them out for 15 minutes to take a dust bath and stretch.

 

[MJJenson]

I have two sister hens that have remained broody for over a week. My space for a brooder box is limited, so I was thinking of putting the together in the brooder cage. What do you think?

 

[aart]

I have two sister hens that have remained broody for over a week. My space for a brooder box is limited, so I was thinking of putting the together in the brooder cage. What do you think?

If it's big enough and they don't fight, sure you can put 2 in the breaker crate.