Hen won't leave coop.

[Hitch59]

I have an approximately 18 month hen that has been laying. Recently she will not leave the coop. She insists on sitting on the eggs all day and night. Should I let this run it's course? I feel compelled to roust her out of the coop so she will eat and be active. What is the best course of action to take? Thanks in advance!

 

[TheAmundsons]

Sounds like she's broody! It depends on if you want her to hatch them out, or not. I don't have any personal experience with broody hens, so I will let someone more experience share more info! Good luck!

 

[Redhead Rae]

If you want her to hatch eggs, let her. If you don't want her to hatch eggs or the eggs are infertile, the kindest thing you can do is break her. Hens can die of broodiness if allowed to go too long.

 

[imnukensc]

She's broody. If you have a rooster, then the eggs might/should be fertile. If you want her to hatch them, leave her alone. She'll get off the nest to eat and drink on her own. If you don't want her to hatch them, then you'll have to "break" her from being broody. Lots of posts here on how to break a broody hen.

 

[Peppercorngal]

She's broody! Do you have a rooster? If the eggs are not fertile she is sitting on them for nothing. I ALWAYS take advantage of a broody hen to hatch for me. Much easier and better than an incubator! If you have no rooster and the eggs are not fertile, and you want chicks, simply wait a week or two, get a couple of day old chicks and slip them under her after dark! She will raise them and be sooooo happy! This is the perfect time of year to buy chicks too!! She will think she did it all herself. Personally I don't believe in "breaking" a broody hen. It's a hormonal issue, it's instinctive and I make use of it instead! Good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you want to break her, lock her up round-the-clock so she can't get back to the nest (ideally in a wire bottom cage, but I use my chick brooder or a dog pen instead) and put food and water in with her. Depending on how determined she is, she'll probably break in about 3 days.

To test if she's broken, once she isn't showing broody signs (flattening down, hissing, puffing up, low chik-chik-chik sound) let her out to see if she heads back to the nest box. If she does, lock her back up for another day. If she stays out, she can rejoin the flock.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC @Hitch59 !

You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have, or can you get, some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? Both for more chickens and she may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It's a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread


If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate 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.
Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

 

[oliviaelizabeth]

I hope you sort out your lady. Depends on whether you want to have chicks or not. If you do, leave her with fertilised eggs and wait 30 days for them to hatch.
Whilst keeping a close eye on her.
If not, cut it out now. It’s not good for a hen to be broody if you don’t want chicks. Hens can usually become egg-bound and if untreated can die. I hope your hen if ok.
Good luck

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hello! Welcome to BYC!!

Lots of great advice given above. Good luck to you!​