First time dealing with a Broody hen

[Bear4boo]

Our buff Orpington is acting broody; she is 15 months old so this is a first. She is spending a lot of time in the nesting box, growls and puffs out her feathers a lot and pecks at the other hens if they try to come near the nesting box. We do not have roosters but someone offered to give us a couple of fertilized eggs for her to try to hatch. My question is, how broody does she have to be for that to be successful? If we take her out of the nesting box and put her in the yard to free range she will stay out for about 30 min. before trying to get back to her box. She does that a couple of times a day. She is sleeping in the nesting box at night.
Also…none of our other four hens laid today which is very odd. Could a broody hen effect them in that way?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Your other hens that didn't lay could be beginning to molt; im finding more and more discarded feathers scattered around daily. Her broodiness shouldn't affect their egg-laying UNLESS their broody hormones are kicking in too. She sounds plenty broody enough to sucessfully incubate and hatch chicks if you want her to do so.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

My Buff Orpington that is 15 months old to went broody 3 days ago tomorrow morning! Ive been waiting so anxiously as a friend has silkies and i was offered eggs a few months ago i can go out there and pick the fresh eggs i want!
So we will be hatching together hopfully. Im waiting until 4 days at night to move her then day 5 or 6 give her eggs. Because she has went broody 2 times before like last month and quit both times.

 

[Chicken_man_J]

Mine went broody and built a "chicken jail" after 4 days it worked! She was outside in the shade with water and feed during the day and jail placed in coop at night. Reintroduced her and she went hasn't been broody. My hens free range and she wouldn't get out off one of the boxes. She was trying to peck me after growling and ruffling her feathers me, therefore, had to use a broom handle to get her out for after two days then built the jail.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My question is, how broody does she have to be for that to be successful? If we take her out of the nesting box and put her in the yard to free range she will stay out for about 30 min. before trying to get back to her box. She does that a couple of times a day. She is sleeping in the nesting box at night.
Also…none of our other four hens laid today which is very odd. Could a broody hen effect them in that way?

General recommendation is wait for them to stay set for about 3 nights before giving them eggs, to ensure they want to sit. Don't remove her from the nest box and put her out if you actually want her to sit though. She'll come out when she wants. Otherwise you're trying to break her.

Can broodies affect things in a flock, yes, because she may be warning off layers that get too close to her chosen box, and her behavior may seem odd or upsetting to some of the other girls because it's different than normal.

 

[Liucija]

I usually keep them solitary for a few days, and then they stop after that

 

[rosemarythyme]

Not sure why people keep giving breaking advice in this case, when the OP wants to hatch?

 

[Chicken_man_J]

My hen started laying about 3 days after out of jail and reintroduced. It takes time, but once successful will benefit your flock's attitude. Along with egg production. Read about it on here along with additional research but proof was in the pudding for me after seeing results in person. I don't have a rooster, flock of 9 laying hens.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

General recommendation is wait for them to stay set for about 3 nights before giving them eggs, to ensure they want to sit. Don't remove her from the nest box and put her out if you actually want her to sit though. She'll come out when she wants. Otherwise you're trying to break her.

Can broodies affect things in a flock, yes, because she may be warning off layers that get too close to her chosen box, and her behavior may seem odd or upsetting to some of the other girls because it's different than normal.

I have a quick question. Is there a way to safely move the broody without her breaking? I have another small coop built and can make a quick cardboard nesting box or use a milk crate for her to use as a nesting box. I just dont want to break mine as its my first real broody and i have eggs that i can hatch

 

[aart]

I have a quick question. Is there a way to safely move the broody without her breaking? I have another small coop built and can make a quick cardboard nesting box or use a milk crate for her to use as a nesting box. I just dont want to break mine as its my first real broody and i have eggs that i can hatch

I've moved them, but before I give them eggs.
I move them with some fake eggs, then see if they will settle into a new nest.
Then I give them fresh fertile eggs.