Broody is like the FLU!

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Kale Chips said:
The problem with letting them sit with no real eggs is that it can really take a toll on their bodies. With having such high hormones, not eating, drinking or pooping regularly, it can really harm a chicken if you let her sit for extended amounts of time with no babies as a result.
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Are you saying they will continue to "sit" without eggs. I've not seen that.
 
WindingRoad said:
Are you saying they will continue to "sit" without eggs. I've not seen that.
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Yes! One of the links below is someone's chicken trying to hatch a pile of dirt. One person from the second link said "she'll hatch rocks if she has to."

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-hen-no-eggs.282894/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-with-no-eggs.1236149/#post-19836811

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-a-pile-of-dirt-help.1282247/#post-20692559
 
WindingRoad said:
Are you saying they will continue to "sit" without eggs. I've not seen that.
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It depends on the hen. Some are so wacky that they will sit until hey starve, literally. Also, the longer you wait, the harder it is to break them. It is best to break them early and often if you don't want them to sit on eggs.
 
sylviethecochin said:
They will do this. I have seen it multiple times, with ducks and with chickens. Sometimes, the ducks will see that they have no eggs and will leave. Seldom have I ever had a chicken leave.
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At least with no fertilized eggs there won't be any babies. Then break the chicken. If there are fertilized eggs and she goes back when you are not looking???
 
WindingRoad said:
At least with no fertilized eggs there won't be any babies. Then break the chicken. If there are fertilized eggs and she goes back when you are not looking???
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A broody will nest whether there is a rooster in house or not. If you don't want chicks break the broody. You don't need to get rid of the rooster unless you have no plans to ever hatch his offspring. If you are afraid she will sneak back onto fertile eggs....I'm kinda lost at this question. Are you leaving eggs in nests? Eggs need to be collected preferably daily. A sneaky broody sitting on eggs for 1 day before they are found out and eggs collected won't hatch overnight. Just collect them as usual and break that broody.
 
WindingRoad said:
Maybe get rid of your rooster for awhile. Hens can sit all they want but no babies. Isn't your roo the underlying ( pun intended) problem here. Not your broodies. You can gather eggs each day as usual that way.
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The rooster has nothing to do with the hen going broody. He fertilizes her but if she doesn't go broody chicks never develop. Broodies are the problem, not the rooster. Just gather those eggs and break the broody.
 
I break my broody hens.
I have no need for more and more and more chicks. I also have no desire to sit there praying a bunch of broody hens don't die while I try to force feed them for months on end.

It is much easier on them and on me if they spend a few days in the wire cage rather than many weeks not moving on a nest.

Last summer I had 14 broody hens all at the same time!
As they occupied the nests my non broody hens would peck them mercilessly to make them move.
It's not good for any of them to end up bloody and cranky.
Out came every broody breaking cage I have.
 

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