Broody or Territorial Hen

[maggieandotis]

Hi, I have a hen who is always sitting in the nesting box. At first, I thought she was just becoming broody but I find her sitting there whether there are eggs to sit on or not. Do you think it could be a power play? I love her but I have to admit she IS a bit of a grouchy, bossy hen. I should add that we just built a big yard for my flock about a month ago. Before that, we had 5 hens and our rooster in a factory coop and this particular was getting really aggressive with the other hens (I am assuming because the coop was too small). Now they all have more space, she is not aggressive anymore but she has started this. I have two nesting boxes but there is only one that all of the hens like to lay their eggs- they won't lay in the other box. Not sure if it matters but my whole flock was born on March 31, so they are 28 weeks old.

 

[chrissynemetz]

It does sound like she might be wanting to go broody. What does she do if you remove her from the nest? Does she roost at night, or is she wanting to sleep on the nest?

 

[maggieandotis]

Great question. She is not sitting there at night but sits on a roosting bar outside. I have to put her inside.

 

[maggieandotis]

It does sound like she might be wanting to go broody. What does she do if you remove her from the nest? Does she roost at night, or is she wanting to sleep on the nest?

I stand corrected. Tonight I went to tuck them in and she was in the nesting box. Is there a way to stop a hen from being broody? I don't want any more chicks.

 

[kcan2]

I stand corrected. Tonight I went to tuck them in and she was in the nesting box. Is there a way to stop a hen from being broody? I don't want any more chicks.

I have a chronic hen who has kept me busy battling broodiness all summer! Like you, I do not want chicks. When she decides to be broody, she goes to "chicken jail", which is a wire dog crate with hardware cloth cable tied to bottom (so she won't fall through). The cage is raised up on some 2x4's to allow air flow underneath. When she gets grumpy and determined, she goes into jail (with food and water, of course) and is usually cured in 3-5 days. Once broken, she will resume laying within 5-7 days. It's amazing how determined they get. GL!

 

[aart]

Is there a way to stop a hen from being broody?

Yeppers!

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) 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. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.