Hen sitting on an unfertlized egg

[Netster]

We got a Buffington Orf from someone & we have 2 different places for her & 2 other hens to lay but she decided to lay in a dog house. ?? The Orf has been sitting on the nest for 2 wks I know but we do not have a rooster so the egg is not fertilized. I hate for her to be disappointed (since she wants to be a mama) but we are not ready for that stage yet. Is there anything I should do about this? Also, the other hens have stopped laying bc she won’t get off the nest as they all want to lay in the dog house.

 

[Isadora]

She needs to be broken of her broodiness. Typically people will put the broody in a dog crate or something where they can't make a nest and keep them there until they quit.
I used a dog crate last year on my red sex link. The wire kind, so the bottom can't be used as a nest. She quit after being in there for 3 days.

 

[All4Eggz]

Your hen is broody. If you don't have a rooster, your only option is to break her. Now that she is 2 weeks into it, it will be much harder... it's always best to break them ASAP.

'Breaking' a broody involves placing her in a wire cage with a roost for 2-3 days, with food and water. This promotes air flow and cools the warm broody down, lessening her natural instinct to stay warm to incubate eggs.

Keep her in a crate with food and water for 2-3 days. Open the crate. If she runs to the nest right away, she is likely still broody. Place her into the crate for another 2 days.

Repeat process as needed.

Good luck.

 

[Mrs. K]

Your other hens either have another nest, often times hidden, or are too old to lay. They won't quit laying, because a broody hen is in the favorite nest. Some will climb on top of her to lay. But if they are laying, they have to lay.

I would go to the farm store, and get a pair of chicks, and slip them under her at night. You don't have to do anything else, she will do all the work. If your other birds have quit laying you might need some younger birds.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Broody Jail.