have a often occuring broody

[fishnet1971]

I have a yr. old RSL. A few months back she startgin doing the 'broody dance' the puffing up, motherly clucking, etc. She didnt stay on the nest much, and i picked her up when I did find her there and boot her outside (not really boot). She still followed the rest of the flock, but still doing that momma cluck and fluffing up at other hens. After about a week she stopped and all was well. then about a month later she did it again. same routine followed, all went well. Yesterday, she started doing the broody cluck, fluff, dance, etc with the other girls. this am she was on teh nest screeching at me. here we go again!!!! 3 times since this spring!!!!!! Is this normal????? I am ready to give up and just let her go for it.

 

[Kitty Cat]

My hen does the same thing, I'm not really sure if you can "cure" a broody hen other than simply letting them sit. I put my hen in a wire cage for about 2 weeks with no hay, just food and water and she stays normal for about a month and then I have to do it all over again. I would let mine sit but she kills her own chicks. If you don't want the extra chicks you can always sell them.

 

[GoChick]

I have a Australorp who went broody in March, I gave her fertile eggs, she raised the chicks for three weeks only. two weeks later, she went broody again. I put her in a rabbit cage for two days and she went back to normal. 3 weeks, later, broody again... it usually takes me two days to stop her from being broody, and it's been 3 weeks now, so I'm waiting for her to go again at any time! But she is soooo funny when she's broody, that i don't mind... she attacks our dogs, does the craziest things ever...

 

[fishnet1971]

YUP!! she is so darn funny. puffs up to everyone and everything except me! She doesnt sit on the eggs long enough though. She was there this am, but will be outside with the rest when I get home. doesnt seem to be 'stuck on' the eggs at all. As long as it doesnt hurt her to be this way (she is a pig and is eating just fine) she is ok. If i knew i could get rid of the chicks easily, i would go ahead and let her sit! I jsut dont have enough room for more right now.


I dont want to put her in a cage or anything. I jsut cant.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Every hen seems to have her own component of broody skills, some are just not as competent as others. If you don't want her to set you can try to discourage her by frequently taking her off the nest & taking her far out in the yard with her flock mates. If that doesn't change her mood, the separate cage won't really bother her.

 

[fishnet1971]

right now i am just taking her off the nest and putting her outside, she jsut huffs up at me and walks away. stays off the nest for most of the day if not the rest of it. so, i will leave her alone to huff, cackle, and etc.