First time Broody hen - no rooster

[swanfeatures]

Hi eggy gurus!
I've tried searching similar posts but can't quite find an answer so apologies if this is repetitive.
We have a light sussex who went Broody yesterday, sitting on eggs, not leaving the nesting box all day, got quite pecky! So I donned some gardening gloves and fished her out of the nesting box. Took the egs away and left her outside for the last few hours of the day. This morning, again she didn't want to come out, so we hoicked her out and shut the coop for the day. It's only small, we have 5 hens only.
My question is that she seems "sad". She has been eating and drinking a bit throughout the day. Usually she's the first to greet me at the gate, but this evening she was just stood in a corner looking miserable.
Any advice on how we should treat her? We don't want to raise chicks, and we have no rooster.
We are newish chicken owners and flying somewhat blind! Thanks!

 

[cherrynberry]

Hi eggy gurus!
I've tried searching similar posts but can't quite find an answer so apologies if this is repetitive.
We have a light sussex who went Broody yesterday, sitting on eggs, not leaving the nesting box all day, got quite pecky! So I donned some gardening gloves and fished her out of the nesting box. Took the egs away and left her outside for the last few hours of the day. This morning, again she didn't want to come out, so we hoicked her out and shut the coop for the day. It's only small, we have 5 hens only.
My question is that she seems "sad". She has been eating and drinking a bit throughout the day. Usually she's the first to greet me at the gate, but this evening she was just stood in a corner looking miserable.
Any advice on how we should treat her? We don't want to raise chicks, and we have no rooster.
We are no is chicken owners and flying somewhat blind! Thanks!

You have to break her broodiness. (Search “how to break a broody”) that will give you results with lots of good ideas...

Unless you want to purchase fertile eggs for her to sit on (it does not sound like the case)

 

[swanfeatures]

You have to break her broodiness. (Search “how to break a broody”) that will give you results with lots of good ideas...

Unless you want to purchase fertile eggs for her to sit on (it does not sound like the case)

No we don't want her sitting. I'm not ready to be a chick mumma yet!
Is her sadness and reluctance just due to the broodiness do you think?

 

[cherrynberry]

No we don't want her sitting. I'm not ready to be a chick mumma yet!
Is her sadness and reluctance just due to the broodiness do you think?

Is she poofing up at all? I would guess it is, I just got a broody hen, and if she cannot get to the box, she keeps trying and is puffed up. Does she try to get to the nest boxes?
I would guess that’s why she is acting strange, but may be wrong.

 

[swanfeatures]

Is she poofing up at all? I would guess it is, I just got a broody hen, and if she cannot get to the box, she keeps trying and is puffed up. Does she try to get to the nest boxes?
I would guess that’s why she is acting strange, but may be wrong.

Yes she's proofed up, quite a cute look for her. We have one large nest box built onto the side of the coop, so they all lay in there throughout the day. But yes she's trying to sit in there on everyone's eggs. Caught her up the ramp trying to figure out why the door was shut earlier. Poor chimkin!

 

[cherrynberry]

Yes she's proofed up, quite a cute look for her. We have one large nest box built onto the side of the coop, so they all lay in there throughout the day. But yes she's trying to sit in there on everyone's eggs. Caught her up the ramp trying to figure out why the door was shut earlier. Poor chimkin!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-break-a-broody-chicken.1466523/

This will help, you need to break her or else it is unhealthy for her, especially if it’s hot where you live. Good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Broody jail: Put her in an isolation cage with some food and water, in sight of the others (in the coop if it's not too hot or in/near the run is ideal). A wire cage elevated to air flow under her would be the best option, however I've used everything from a brooder to a dog exercise pen.

Keep her in the cage around the clock for about 2 days. At that time, if she's shows fewer signs of broodiness (puffing up, flattening down and growling, tik tik tik noise) you can let her out to test her. If she runs back to the nest at any point (usually they don't do it immediately, but maybe after 15 minutes, maybe an hour) then she's not yet sufficiently broken and needs to go back to the cage for another 24 hours. Then let her out and test her again. Repeat until she's no longer going to the nest box.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.