Broody sad hen

[LollyLooAndJatz]

I have a very sweet bantam girl named Plum.
Plum has become broody. A few of the other hens became broody and got over it. However Plum is not. The eggs are unfertile and we do not have a rooster. She's stealing everyone else's eggs, and when I take the eggs away or move her she just sits upset. Shes moping around constantly. Would broody jail be worth a shot? Or should we get some eggs to hatch?
We have ducks and jumbo quails shes more than welcome to hatch those especially since quails don't hatch their own eggs. Or I'm sure I could get some Fertile eggs. Will it cheer her up? Or should we just try broody jail?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum, glad you joined. My guess is that you are south of the equator but I'm not sure. A rough idea of where you are located can help with a lot of questions. if you modify your profile to show location that information is always available.

Don't worry about trying to cheer her up. She'll get over it no matter what you do. It will not hurt her or cause any lasting damage. It's not what she wants that matters, she is so hyped up on hormones that she can't think rationally. What do you want to happen? Do you want more chicks or ducklings and are you prepared to deal with them? If you do not want her to hatch you should break her.

I you do want her to hatch then give her some fertile eggs. I don't know how well a bantam chicken will do hatching quail eggs or raising quail chicks, I have no experience with quail. I'd worry that the eggs might be too thin shelled and she will break them or that the chicks may be challenging for her to raise. She can hatch and raise ducklings or chicken chicks.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Definitely let her hatch some eggs. Or stick some chicken under her. She will be so happy! Quail don't take long to hatch either!

 

[LollyLooAndJatz]

Hi, welcome to the forum, glad you joined. My guess is that you are south of the equator but I'm not sure. A rough idea of where you are located can help with a lot of questions. if you modify your profile to show location that information is always available.

Don't worry about trying to cheer her up. She'll get over it no matter what you do. It will not hurt her or cause any lasting damage. It's not what she wants that matters, she is so hyped up on hormones that she can't think rationally. What do you want to happen? Do you want more chicks or ducklings and are you prepared to deal with them? If you do not want her to hatch you should break her.

I you do want her to hatch then give her some fertile eggs. I don't know how well a bantam chicken will do hatching quail eggs or raising quail chicks, I have no experience with quail. I'd worry that the eggs might be too thin shelled and she will break them or that the chicks may be challenging for her to raise. She can hatch and raise ducklings or chicken chicks.

Very equipped for more babies if needed. Quail eggs are smaller but the shells are thicker.

 

[LollyLooAndJatz]

Hi, welcome to the forum, glad you joined. My guess is that you are south of the equator but I'm not sure. A rough idea of where you are located can help with a lot of questions. if you modify your profile to show location that information is always available.

Don't worry about trying to cheer her up. She'll get over it no matter what you do. It will not hurt her or cause any lasting damage. It's not what she wants that matters, she is so hyped up on hormones that she can't think rationally. What do you want to happen? Do you want more chicks or ducklings and are you prepared to deal with them? If you do not want her to hatch you should break her.

I you do want her to hatch then give her some fertile eggs. I don't know how well a bantam chicken will do hatching quail eggs or raising quail chicks, I have no experience with quail. I'd worry that the eggs might be too thin shelled and she will break them or that the chicks may be challenging for her to raise. She can hatch and raise ducklings or chicken chicks.

I've updated my profile - I am in Australia. If she wouldn't raise the quail babies we could take them and put them in the brooder - we have 3 brooders of different sizes