How Can I Get A Hen UN Broody?

[snaffle]

Why do people go to such extreme measures, IMO even to the point of traumatizing the hen, to break her broodiness? Is it the loss of egg production for those who sell their eggs, or is there another reason?

Traumatizing a hen is much better that finding the hen dead on the nest because she sat so long without eating or drinking.My mother used to tell me how she had hens that would die on the nest because they were so serious about setting. I have had that happen to me too and it is pretty upsetting. I have had hens who were so dang serious about setting that they would often go for weeks on end...it makes sense that they would loose body weight ... they only get off the nest once a day (if that) to eat and drink. When the summer temps get up over 90 and stay that way, it can not be any good for any critter that doesnt hydrate.

As for the egg production, that is a good reason for me. Eggs around here sell for $2.50 to $4.00 per dozen.

I sold many chicks for $4 each... if a hen is setting on nothing, not laying ...that is not going to help pay for the feed. I dont want to hatch chicks outmuch past June anyway because I feel the youngsters are often not strong enough to make it through a bad winter. jmo

On the topic of traumatizing...not so sure it is actually traumatizing because the hens seem to go into a trance...

I also dont like the idea of a nice toasty warm hen setting on my 'fresh' eggs all day (I collect eggs around 4 p.m. each day)

 

[Sjisty]

Let me see if I read this right. You put your hen in a cage and didn't feed her for two days because you were afraid she was going to lose weight being broody? Sound like the cure is worse than the problem.

I usually just let my girls be broody. I've never lost one yet.

 

[azygous]

And I thought I had a really persistent serial broody. She's been broody a total of 15 times in her four years, an average of four times a year, and the longest time it took to break her was nine days. She's currently on her seventh day in the broody cage.

I place my broody cage in the center of activity in the run with a fan blowing on her underparts at all times. On hot days, I dunk her in a pan of cool water, just her lower part, to further keep her body temp down. I provide water at all times, and access to food. I let her out two or three times a day to dust bathe, eat, poop, and to terrorize and assault the rest of the flock. She's a fierce little personality when she isn't broody, but broody, she's a terror.

The reason I break a broody is because it's no fun for a hen being broody. The hormones make her extremely irritable, and I don't like the toll it takes on my hens, even the unbroody ones. The only purpose for you to allow a hen to go through the broody spell is to hatch eggs. Other than that, it's a waste of her and my resources.

But for your hen to remain broody for three weeks already, and for one to stay broody for three months, is bizarre. After three weeks, most hens' hormones will have run the cycle, and they ought to revert back to normal.

I caution you about using a light that gives off heat in a close space during hot weather. It's true that 24 hour light will be extremely beneficial when trying to break a broody, but find one that puts out cool light. It doesn't take a high level of brightness to achieve the effect.

 

[SilkieNation]

Well I guess the no food and water is really what got me going... No animal should ever go without food and at least water. I understand now that there is the risk of the hen dying - and of course this would be a very serious consequence. But in the heat, no water could do it too. I have Silkies and only a few right now, so selling eggs is not an issue for me. I keep taking my broody hen off the nest so she eats and drinks a bit - now I have another plucking feathers off of her chest and acting odd...I will do my best to nip this one in the bud.

 

[MysteriaSdrassa]

Why do people go to such extreme measures, IMO even to the point of traumatizing the hen, to break her broodiness? Is it the loss of egg production for those who sell their eggs, or is there another reason?

I was going to answer this last night but had a headache and brain was fuzzy and had a hard time formulating words into sentences. But others have pretty much said,, eggs,, chicks,, irritable hens,, loss of weight,, plus when one goes it seems to get the others "in the mood" and soon you have half your flock sitting on empty nests,,, a broody hen is just a money sump. Sorry if that may sound harsh,, but is truth. Small owners with just a few birds doing this for the eggs for their own personal use, it is all good and well to leave your hens brood if you want... for those of us who have customers depending on the fresh product that we deliver,, we can't afford to let them to their wiles and not earn their keep.

As for not providing food or water,,, not a good idea,, if anything it is defeating your purpose.. a hens egg system depends on lots of water and high protein levels,, feed your birds,, starving them will not break your broody,, more likely just make her more irritable

I have never thought of a continuous light! That would certainly take away that cozy and calm atmosphere (if that is a good way to explain it lol)

3 days huh? It is worth a try

yes,, 3 days works for most of my birds,, the majority of which are cochins,, and we all know how stubourn they can be about going broody

ocasionally one needs 4 days and I have one old bitty that requires 7,, but yeah,, 3 full days is all it takes for most of them.
Also,, as azygous pointed out,, try to use something that doesn't cause heat,, I used CFLs for the longest time but have switched to LEDs recently. Less heat than incandescents. I tend to get better results with brighter lights at least 500 lumins or higher. But I guess now that I think about it,, 500 lumins equates to about an old 60 watt incandescent. So hard getting brain to think in terms of lumins now after so many years of watts

LOL

 

[SilkieNation]

Traumatizing a hen is much better that finding the hen dead on the nest because she sat so long without eating or drinking.My mother used to tell me how she had hens that would die on the nest because they were so serious about setting. I have had that happen to me too and it is pretty upsetting. I have had hens who were so dang serious about setting that they would often go for weeks on end...it makes sense that they would loose body weight ... they only get off the nest once a day (if that) to eat and drink. When the summer temps get up over 90 and stay that way, it can not be any good for any critter that doesnt hydrate.

As for the egg production, that is a good reason for me. Eggs around here sell for $2.50 to $4.00 per dozen.

I sold many chicks for $4 each... if a hen is setting on nothing, not laying ...that is not going to help pay for the feed. I dont want to hatch chicks outmuch past June anyway because I feel the youngsters are often not strong enough to make it through a bad winter. jmo

On the topic of traumatizing...not so sure it is actually traumatizing because the hens seem to go into a trance...

I also dont like the idea of a nice toasty warm hen setting on my 'fresh' eggs all day (I collect eggs around 4 p.m. each day)

You folks are getting me all sorts of worried about my broody hen! I've been getting her off the nest to make sure she eats something and drinks, but she's not taking a whole lot in - she just wants the nest.

 

[SilkieNation]

I'm letting her go for now and I'll see how she does.

 

[calichicken]

I'm letting her go for now and I'll see how she does.

I have a bantam cochin and I let her run her broody cycle with no problems. I just make sure in this heat she is cool and does get off the nest at least once a day to eat, drink, dust and poop! She is a pet so I am not worried about eggs. She stops sitting on the nest around week 2 1/2 on her own and gets back to her normal chicken routine

Just keep an eye on her and make sure she stays healthy and I think all should be fine!

 

[SilkieNation]

I have a bantam cochin and I let her run her broody cycle with no problems. I just make sure in this heat she is cool and does get off the nest at least once a day to eat, drink, dust and poop! She is a pet so I am not worried about eggs. She stops sitting on the nest around week 2 1/2 on her own and gets back to her normal chicken routine

Just keep an eye on her and make sure she stays healthy and I think all should be fine!

Thank you - yes I am watching her - getting her off the nest for a bit of food and water. Her poops are teeny weeny though, telling me she's not eating much. I even am giving her some air conditioning - a frozen jug of water that I sit in a plastic container (to catch the water from the condensation) and put near her. She seems fine when she gets off the nest, but she is losing some weight.

 

[calichicken]

Thank you - yes I am watching her - getting her off the nest for a bit of food and water. Her poops are teeny weeny though, telling me she's not eating much. I even am giving her some air conditioning - a frozen jug of water that I sit in a plastic container (to catch the water from the condensation) and put near her. She seems fine when she gets off the nest, but she is losing some weight.

How's she doing? I give my girl some wet mash mixed with egg for extra nutrition...she loved it because her food is usually dry! I also mixed her food with some plain yogurt and that encouraged her to eat because it was a treat for her

My girl would do a speed routine when I kicked her off....run outside and speed dust, poop, eat/drink and then back on the nest...all in about 20 minutes! I did it twice a day until she decided to stop setting.