Constantly and persistently broody, is there hope?

[Ermpickle]

She's 1.5 years and ever since she started laying she's broody constantly. I think one time she went 1 whole month acting like a normal chicken lol. It's a constant battle to break her of it and it doesn't matter anyway because she'll just be right back at it, sometimes after a day, sometimes it takes a week but she always goes back to it. I haven't done a broody jail (dog crate) because it's too hot here for that and I'm not bringing her inside. I recently learned a trick of using water to soak her chest and belly. It worked! For about 2 weeks but then I got sick and didn't collect eggs for a few days so she was broody again yesterday (I shouldn't be too mad because this time it's my fault but it's also infuriating lol). I soaked her but it didn't work, she was back at it this morning (sitting *next to* the egg btw! Augh!) So I soaked her again this morning and so far it's working.

Is there any help for her or is this just life? I can't keep doing this to her once it starts to get cold.

Oh and I did let her hatch chicks thinking that would work, it obviously didn't. Then around 4-5 weeks she kicked them out so I kept them in a separate run and coop while she free-ranged. After a week or 2 I started letting them out to range with the girls during the day and she actually attacked and scalped a pullet so badly I thought she was dead when I found her. I kept inside for 2 weeks and she's fine now her feathers have almost all grown back. So I'm not going to let her hatch again.

Anyway is there anything I can do? I'm thinking about rehoming her but also I don't want to :'(

 

[azygous]

What breed is this hen?

I happen to have a Blue Plymouth Rock about the same age. She went broody at the beginning of summer but only remained in the nest half the morning, and then she left once she laid an egg. This is the first time I've ever had a hen go halfway broody and stay this way for three months. She never went all the way broody - stopping laying eggs and sticking to a next around the clock. She's just now returning to normal.

It's been a while since I've had to deal with a serial broody, but I have had several over the years that would go broody regularly four times a season. (Usually they do not go broody in winter.) Speckled Sussex and Gold Laced Wyandottes were my regular broodies. Some breeds are more prone to going broody than others.

I'm telling you about my hen because broody behavior is varied. What happens when a hen goes broody is her hormones change from the regular egg laying hormones, and this causes her temperature to rise. She will also lose feathers along the keel bone, and this is where she makes direct contact when incubating eggs. She also generates a high amount of humidity from this exposed skin.

While I didn't try to break my current broody, mainly because she wasn't all the way broody, the only way to successfully break a broody is to interrupt her hormones by lowering her body temperature. Brief soaks in cold water are not effective because she needs sustained cooling. To achieve this, she needs cool air circulating under her so those bare skin patches along the keel bone cool down gradually and consistently.

The best way to do this is with a broody cage, any open mesh bottom cage where air can blow under her will work. I use a fan in summer to achieve this. At no time can she be permitted to roost or return to a nest as this will perpetuate the hormones when she hunkers down on a surface that reflects heat back to her body. It takes about three days in the cage to break the hormones.

 

[aart]

I can't keep doing this to her once it starts to get cold.

Then you can use the crate.

Some birds are just wired right/wrong.
I had one like you describe, broke her 7 times over the summer after letting her hatch in March. I finally gave her away to someone who wanted a broody, she never went broody again.

 

[Ermpickle]

I really appreciate your responses. I think it will probably be best to rehome are as it sounds like there is no long term permanent solution.

Oh and I forgot to mention I know you said it's not common for them to go broody in winter but she certainly did lol (that's what made me go ahead and give her hatching eggs) and that is true I could do the cage when it gets cold but I'm thinking she just needs to be allowed to hatch an infinite amount of eggs lol

 

[aart]

I forgot to mention I know you said it's not common for them to go broody in winter but she certainly did

Not common but certainly not unprecedented.
Have had a few go broody in winter, one I let hatch, will never do that again.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I really appreciate your responses. I think it will probably be best to rehome are as it sounds like there is no long term permanent solution.

Oh and I forgot to mention I know you said it's not common for them to go broody in winter but she certainly did lol (that's what made me go ahead and give her hatching eggs) and that is true I could do the cage when it gets cold but I'm thinking she just needs to be allowed to hatch an infinite amount of eggs lol

I think rehoming will be the best for her and for you if you can find a home where she can brood as she wants to. Definitely it would be less stress for both of you!

What breed is your hen?

 

[sourland]

I really appreciate your responses. I think it will probably be best to rehome are as it sounds like there is no long term permanent solution.

I think this is the proper decision. In my experience, once broody - always broody. To the point that I have had hens raise as many as 5 broods in a year.

 

[Ermpickle]

I think rehoming will be the best for her and for you if you can find a home where she can brood as she wants to. Definitely it would be less stress for both of you!

What breed is your hen?

She's an Ameraucana. Hopefully I can find someone who wants a broody and can trade me a blue egg layer. I know she'd be happier, she was a great mom when they were little chicks

5 broods in a year.

Holy cow!! She'd be happy with that life lol

 

[Ermpickle]

I had one like you describe, broke her 7 times over the summer after letting her hatch in March. I finally gave her away to someone who wanted a broody, she never went broody again.

Omg I would be so upset if this happened now I have a feeling it probably will