Broody Hens

[2overeasy000]

I have no rooster. 2 of the hens, BO and White Leghorn have gone broody and been that way for about a month now. I remove the eggs everyday but they still stay in the nest box pretty much all day and are not laying. Is there a way to get them to stop this since no eggs will hatch of course with no rooster? I read to dunk them in cold water to lower the body temp and tried that today and that worked for about an hour and I just went out and they were back in the nest boxes. Any advice?

 

[DancingHen]

I have been told to put them in a wire bottomed cage for a couple of days to allow the air flow to cool their undersides. This will often break the broodiness. I have also heard that you can place an ice cube under them in the nest box....to cool their undersides and make them uncomfortable. So far the only method I have had to use is to lock my girls outside with no access to the nest boxes for a few hours every day (2 or 3 days) and then they seem to forget they were broody. Good luck....broody hens can be very stubborn.

 

[2overeasy000]

Thanks. I think I will try the ice cube in the nesting box.