Cannot break broody...what to do

[Nupe]

Laying eggs AND sitting. I remove eggs. She sits. She lays. I remove eggs. She sits. Rinse and repeat.

You're sure she's the one laying? Broodies don't. Could it be she just likes to linger? I have hens who spend hours in the box just to lay. Those I can reach under and take the eggs out from under with no complaints. Does she puff up when you try to touch her?

 

[mobius]

It will take a few weeks after broodiness to start laying again. Maybe it just took that long to stumble in the coop when fresh eggs were just laid. My broody would sit on the nest with the most eggs and when I removed them, she would wait until another nest had eggs before sitting on another box. Until I figured out I needed a broody jail, I was shooing her out of the box and taking eggs several times a day.

Ok maybe that is what is going on; I break her a bit she stops, then she starts laying again OR finds eggs in the nest and goes broody. So yes not truly broken.

So hard to think like a chicken.

 

[mobius]

She puffs a bit when I have removed her from the nest, squawks a little. She is pretty docile.

And you all may be quite correct she may be sitting on the other chickens eggs and not laying. I getcha now...

 

[mobius]

And I am afraid of losing her to predators of course. Now thanks to you all, i have some options to weigh...!

 

[Nupe]

Yep that sounds broody. My chicken hospital is indoors which is why I use a fan for extra cooling. The puffing and squawking is the giveaway. To me they look like little turkeys. I can't help but giggle at them...

 

[chicks are life]

Lol yup defiantly mini turkeys

 

[mobius]

She was highly puffy today and pulling out breast feathers while eating. I will make a decision about her by end of day. So happy she at least returned to the yard for the moment...

And again, many thanks for all the great input, it really really helps me! And Ophelia, the recalcitrant broody!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I've had a broody who would stand when I came to collect egg.LOL And she was broody. Would only come off the nest once a day for about an hour.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

This is an opinion or an option. You Decide.
This Is What We Do Anyway. Not Saying It Is A Miracle Fix But It Works For Our Unwanted Broodiness..
We Have A Makeshift Ring Shape Wire Fence Pen. Only A Food Dish, Waster Bowl And Perch. The Rooster Is Your Exercise Instructor. No Nesting Box.

The Ri Red In This Pic Is A Constant Broody Hen. She Is In Broody Jail Right Now. It Usually Lasts A Week. If She Doesn't Snap Out Of If, Back It With The Red Roo. A Perk Is That We Get Eggs For The Incubator As Well.

I typed this reply an hour before I posted it. Before I touched the post reply tab a customer was at the gate to pick up some chickens. So I put my tablet down and went outside. When I came back, my post had all Capitol letters at the beginning of every word!!!!

Weird and wild stuff! I am not going to retype it all so please put up with the anomaly please.

Good luck with your broody issues!

 

[mobius]

Well it is a hilarious reply! Thank you so much! I like the exercise instructor (he is very attractive) but not sure of the purpose? He does look like he is instructing her however... Oh! he gives her fertilization so she can make fert eggs for incubator? Why not just let her brood (just curious).

And I think you and others have given me a name for the condition: Constant Broody. Had no idea.

She, The Constant Broody (make a liar out of me) is now out and about with the flock. SMH. Chickens.