First broody hen advice needed

[DiamondRFarm]

Okay, we have had a hen go broody. The issue is, we have been collecting eggs daily so I took her "baby" without knowing for sure she was broody. Now she is still sitting on the nest and has stopped laying eggs. Is there anything I can do to help break the cycle. If I had realized she was turning broody I would have left her egg and let her hatch it out.
I have tried removing her from nest as much as possible, I've blocked the nest off. Little girl is slick and managed to get her way back in lol. I don't want to break her forever just to break the cycle now since she doesn't have a egg. Shy of finding someine with fertilized eggs that i6 could get, I'm out of ideas.

 

[Shadowfire]

You can't really break a hen one year and fully expect her to be broody again the next year. She might, but it's up to you if you want to take chances. Other hens may contribute to the nest so she can put her dedication to use. Good luck!

 

[bobbi-j]

@aart has pictures of their broody buster cage. It's probably the most efficient way to break them. Find a wire cage, put hen in with food and water, don't put bedding in the cage. Make sure cage is elevated so air can circulate and cool her down. Hopefully aart will chime in and tell you more about the process.

Breaking a broody will not break her for life. Depending on the bird, she may go broody again in a few weeks, a couple of months, or next year.

You do have a rooster, I'm assuming? And how many other hens? If you do want to her to hatch some chicks, you could put fertile eggs from any of your chickens under her. If she's truly broody, she'll sit on them. Heck, a truly broody hen will try to hatch anything from rocks to doorknobs. (My great-aunt used to put those white porcelain doorknobs in various places in her barn, trying to entice hens to sit in those places.)

If you do plan on hatching, what is your plan for the males you'll end up with? One should always have a plan for extra cockerels before hatching or buying straight run chicks. Will you eat them? Try to sell or give them away? Build a bachelor pen so you can keep them all?

 

[aart]

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

 

[bobbi-j]

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.
View attachment 1666488

Thanks, Aart! I keep referring to you, because you've actually done this. I have no experience in it, as I don't generally try to break my broodies.

 

[chickens really]

Do you have a Rooster? If not the eggs are not fertile anyways.

 

[aart]

Thanks, Aart! I keep referring to you, because you've actually done this. I have no experience in it, as I don't generally try to break my broodies.

No Problemo
When ever I have a broody, I think....wish I could send this bird to @bobbi-j !!