First Time broody hens and how to handle fertilized eggs that didn't make it (returning to "normal" after)

[cfrd925]

I have a small flock: 3 bantams (1 roo, 2 hens.) One of them started brooding about 4 weeks ago. After 10-12 days, I candled the eggs and confirmed that one of the two was fertilized. So at day 19, we moved her to a "brooding box" to keep her separated in the event that the chicks did hatch and we weren't home to watch the roo's reaction. (He can be a bit of an a-hole sometimes, but we love him.) We have now determined that the egg appeared to mature through day 18-20 (based on appearance when candling) but there is no movement and no pips. Today is actually day 27. Pretty sure we won't have any babies this time. BUT. She isn't even getting up to do her daily dust/dirt bath, or poop outside of her box, or anything. And now the other hen - who is pretty (she's a frizzle) but not super bright - is acting broody and staying in the coop nesting boxes most of the day. BUT SHE DOESN'T LAY ON HER EGGS (facepalm.) So, two concerns, questions, need for advice: 1) how do I get the hen who had the fertilized egg "back to normal." And how do I keep the other one who acts broody but doesn't want to sit on eggs to get back out? I don't care if they give me eggs to eat - but I do care if they're behaving broody but not letting the roo get close enough to actually do that thing they do to make fertilized eggs LOL. Plus I had read once that broody hens don't lay eggs... I can't say I can prove this or not as I am still new. But these babies are pets and we love them and want to keep their lives healthy. I'd love to see them hatch chicks! But I don't NEED them to do anything but have a healthy / happy life with us. I know that was a lot of words. How do I get them to both stop acting broody for now, so they can "try again?" I feel so silly asking thing - please don't make fun of me for asking! I'm looking for advice / experience. Thank you

 

[aart]

Break the broody.
Maybe take longer than my story, but....

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) 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.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.