Egg laying Hen

[dewwhipper]

I have a hen that hatched a brood about thirteen weeks ago. For the last seven weeks this hen has been doing the egg laying thing (unfertilized). For the first four weeks, she laid an egg every one to two days. I gathered every one of them. Then for this past three weeks this hen acts like she's gone broody, sitting in the nest two to three days at a time. When I see that she has left the nest to eat/drink, I check the nest - no egg. This hen thinks she's accomplishing something. I have another hen in this same coop doing an egg a day like she's supposed to do. The first hen ever so often uses the second hen's nest - no egg. What do you do un-brood the first hen? What is going on with the no-egg thing?

 

[sourland]

Sounds as if she indeed is broody. I have had hens raise as many an 5 broods in a year. The 'no-egg thing' is a result of her broodiness. Locking her in a cage (preferably open or wire) away from her nest site should help break her broodiness, but understand she is probably or nature to undergo chronic broody periods.

 

[red horse ranch]

Some hens are just determined to have babies... as often as they can! I had to give away one hen because she would constantly be broody. I would let her hatch once a year but that wasn't enough for her. I just got tired of trying to break her from being broody. The friend that I gave her to just loves her because she never has to worry about incubating.

 

[chickens really]

Elevated Wire bottom crate to cool her belly off..Takes more days depending on how long she has been Broody..