Extremely broody hen...

[paulkaul]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to solicit your advice:

I have a one-year old hen (Buff Plymouth Rock) that's been broody for a good two weeks. She's always been the most broody hen I have (flock of four) but this time she really tops everything before.

About a couple of days ago I separated her from the others (within the run) to not have access to the coop during the day and it's made some improvement.

But: As soon as I get her back to the flock she takes the opportunity to get back to being broody again and occupying a meeting box...

I'm out of ideas to break her broodiness, maybe she just needs to be separated longer? Anything else I could do from your perspective?

Don't really want her to become stew...

Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The tried and true method for breaking the hormone cycle that has been used for centuries is a wire bottom suspended cage. That causes the hen's bottom to cool when she can't plunk themselves down on a solid surface. Put a bit of food and water in the cage and you're done.
Caught early enough it only takes a couple days and commencement of lay will begin sooner. You especially want to break a hen early this time of year. Broody too long will take them into molt season and you may not get eggs till spring or at least till after winter solstice.
It takes longer in hot weather unless you can put them in a cooler space or have a fan blowing under the cage.
I currently have a wire bottom dog crate with no bottom tray that I set up on bricks.
When we had more hens, we kept 3 or 4 homemade cages hanging from the ceiling of the hen house.