FOUR Broody Hens - egg production is DOWN!

[randylyons]

I started with one broody hen about four weeks ago, and one by one, another one would join her. Now, all three nesting boxes are occupied with TWO hens in one of them. My egg production has dropped from 8-9 per day (I have 10 layers) to 3-4 per day. I'm over it! How can I stop end the strike, er, broody hens?

 

[artsvarc]

Hear! Hear!! 4 out of 11 chickens, just a year old. Started with one, 2 days ago, then another (My problem child, this is her 3rd broody-mess) now today, 2 more!! I have the first separated in a crate and I guess I'll rotate them through. I don't have or the have the space for 4 crates. All of them are Wyandottes. Ugh.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you're not intending to hatch, break the broodies.

 

[neo71665]

Either break them or give them a few eggs each and double the egg laying capacity (in a few month give or take a few rooster suppers)

 

[randylyons]

I'm not intending to hatch, and I remove the eggs laid by others every day. Normally, when just one hen is broody, I just wait it out, but with four, I need to break it but I don't know how.

If you're not intending to hatch, break the broodies.

 

[neo71665]

They each need to be put in an elevated wire floored cage where they have no access to the nests. The cooler air on their bottoms helps to break them. They need to stay in the cage until they are no longer trying to sit. If the weather is warm dipping them in ice water also helps.

 

[BDutch]

OP, Do you have a rooster /fertilised eggs?

They each need to be put in an elevated wire floored cage where they have no access to the nests. The cooler air on their bottoms helps to break them. They need to stay in the cage until they are no longer trying to sit. If the weather is warm dipping them in ice water also helps.

Some chickens stop breeding if you just take away the eggs / close the nestboxes and you put the broodies on a roost after dark.

 

[aart]

They each need to be put in an elevated wire floored cage where they have no access to the nests. The cooler air on their bottoms helps to break them. They need to stay in the cage until they are no longer trying to sit. If the weather is warm dipping them in ice water also helps.

This^^^...well, not ice water, but cool water long enough to wet their belly good.


Here's how I do it:
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.

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.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Normally, when just one hen is broody, I just wait it out, but with four, I need to break it but I don't know how.

Aart's post (#8) is the tried and true method of broody breaking.

IF you have a crate large enough and the birds are friendly enough with each other (even with hormones) that they don't fight, it's fine to put more than one in a broody breaker. So you could potentially break 2 at a time, with enough space.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have 2 year old Blue Wyandottes. Last year they went broody one after the other, I would say at least 5 of the 9, but I didn't keep track, so IDK. I have a cage like @aart, but it takes me at least 4 days, leaving them out for a short time each day, to break them. They were one after the other in the cage last year all season. So far this year I have had 2. Marked the first one with a leg band, but about 2 weeks later I found it laying in the coop. Presently i have one that has been in cage 4 nights, we'll see about tonight. i have 16 chickens right now, which is too many, so I want to mark them so I can sell them, LOL. So far my 7 Columbian Wyandottes pullets have not gone broody. Been raising chickens for 28 years & only had one broody the first year. 4 years ago I had one Australorp that was constantly broody. Now I have these clowns, go figure!