Broody issues - ameraucana

[SarahLadd]

I have a yearling ameraucana hen that has been broody more than she's been laying. She was broody the whole month of june, then moulted for another month, here we are in the end of august and she gave me 5 eggs. Now she's broody again. I've got an orpington hen that hasn't laid all summer but isn't broody. My welsummer hen has laid all summer religiously! I've only got the three, but this is a bummer. I stopped giving treats, they're eating just layer feed and foraging all day. There's several places to get fresh water and their coop is a pretty sexy mansion, so I don't get this! I'm locking them all out of the henhouse during the day so she doesn't have access to the lay boxes to sit and do nothing. This is miserable. Any tips??

 

[50-45-1]

Some breeds of hens have the brooding trait bred out. Like leghorns. You will have better luck with certain breeds of chickens if your main objective is eggs.
Your americana and your orphington are known as great broody moms. Never had welsomers myself.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How sure are you that the Orp is not laying? A common cause for a hen to not be laying is that she actually is but is hiding a nest. You might check her vent. If it is big and moist she is laying somewhere or getting ready to. If it is small tight and dry she is not laying.

A traditional way to break a broody hen is to keep her in an elevated cage with a wire bottom for 72 hours or so. Give her food and water but nothing that comes close to a nest. The cool air hitting her underneath helps break her. One of those wire dog cages works well, hang it or put it up on blocks. If 72 hours isn't enough, keep her in longer.

If your chickens are making you miserable, get new chickens. What you are keeping is a flock of chickens, it can have changeable parts. There are too many good ones out there to put up with hens that are making you miserable. Some people might love a hen that often goes broody.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hmm. If you lock them away from the nests, where are they going to lay their eggs?

 

[50-45-1]

You may have to start over with new chicken breeds.
It should not be hard to rehome your hens. Some folk would absouletly love to get a broody.
I found a list of non-broody chickens for you.
https://www.citygirlchickens.com/non_broody_chickens.html