Broody... Not in a good way

[TxAg11]

We have 7 hens and NO roosters. None are even remotely close, as we live in the suburbs and technically aren't even allowed to have chickens in the first place (oops, oh well). Our youngest, an Australorp mix, has started going super broody. She hogs the most popular nesting box and sits... All... Day... Long.

I tried to get her out after I caught a glimpse of 6 eggs underneath her, but she attacked the broom handle I was using to move her. I finally pushed her off and she went bazerk! Same thing happened yesterday. Terrifying. I've heard of people getting really excited that their hens go broody, but we aren't hatching anything (maybe we should try?).

About how long does this behavior last for young-ish hens that have no chance of laying fertilized eggs? Would it be best to leave her at a farm for a weekend, let her get "fertilized", then put her in a separate pen and try to take advantage of her broodiness?
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[Ardj]

When my hen goes broody like that (and I don't have a rooster no fertilized eggs) she just sits on an empty basket... I have to put her in a big dog cage with water and food until she is herself again. There is a thread about that. Lots of good info.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

 

[FlyWheel]

Quote: "Even remotely close"? I thought with chickens at least it was always one or the other...?

 

[TxAg11]

When my hen goes broody like that (and I don't have a rooster no fertilized eggs) she just sits on an empty basket... I have to put her in a big dog cage with water and food until she is herself again. There is a thread about that. Lots of good info.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

 

[TxAg11]

"Even remotely close"? I thought with chickens it was always one or the other...?

"close" in proximity.

 

[Ardj]

your welcome

 

[aart]

You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have or can you get some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? She may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop and I would feed her some crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.
Water nipple bottle added after pic was taken.