How Can I Get A Hen UN Broody?

[MarieCallandar]

What the hell. I don't care if a chicken goes broody to practically dehydrate and not feed a living thing is abuse and any person who think that they should do this is are cruel people who have no right raiding animals

 

[Kooka]

The hen is a cochin banty.

Don't worry folks...when the temps are warmer she has access to a pan ikof water.

I have the cage hanging about 2 feet off the ground. Several times today I when I was in the building, I would step inside the pen...and give the cage a push so it would swing.

She is still wanting to be a mother.

The main reason I am trying to get her out of the broodiness is because a hen can drop a lot of weight when setting. I have had hens die on the nest because they refuse to get off the nest to eat and drink.

She has been broody for close to 3 weeks... maybe longer. 

It is time for her to stop!!

I had a wyandotte hen go well over a month. Each day took her to water and a good feed. Think boiled rice and sardines in natural oil. Was getting real worried but figured if she had become that set it was up to her.
One day took her out for a feed..she took a sand bath and rejoined th flock.

 

[shortgrass]

          If a hen is broody you should just let her be broody, but if you really want her to be unbroody then you should keep doing the stuff that you have already did over and over until she stops, or you can try and scare her... when she lay an egg you need to reach under her crack the egg, and that will scare her.  

Ok..for obvious cruelty related reasons etc etc... That's mean, yes....

I would NOT recommend doing any of these tactics, but ESPECIALLY this one....

1. The bacteria and moisture from a rotting egg in a nesting box... Not sanitary one bit... U wouldn't want to gather eggs from a nesting box with rotten egg in it, much less the chicken sitting in it.

2. IF the hen eats the egg, you are setting yourself up for a hen who will eat her own eggs, broody or not... AND the eggs of every other hens' she finds.

3. The scaring by busting an egg under her, and you want this chicken NOT to peck you every time you try to gather eggs?

Not a good idea....IMHO.

 

[LE808]

I had my Araucana in my broody buster for 2 days and broke her brooding. I made sure she had access to normal food and water and also wedged carrots and mushrooms in the bars to keep her occupied. I returned her to the roost at night and in the morning when my other girls were up if she was brooding I'd put her straight back in the buster. Worked really well for us

 

[critterkeeper25]

I have read this thread, and the replies that follow. I just have to get this off my chest...This OP came here (I believe) to find BETTER advice on how to stop the broody behavior in one of his/her hens. There were some very helpful posts, in my opinion. BUT..there were also some that offered little beyond chastisement. Now...we don't know where this person is from, at least I didn't look to see. Maybe from the country. Maybe they are getting old time advice from the only source that they have. Then they decide to come here. For advice from people that seem to know what they are really doing. You know what I mean? There are people that come from different cultures, even within our own country. They feel/believe different things than some of us. That is who we are. We are all different. Now, you may have been made angry by some of the things that the OP said that they did. That's okay too. You are entitled to your opinion and beliefs. But it is MY belief that ALL people deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.

Not long ago I posted a little note to the moderators of this Forum. I told them how much that I appreciated the fact that there was no ridicule or condesention here. That this was an excellent site to visit for good information/advice and none of the aforementioned treatment of others. I came from another forum for horses where people were ridiculed and actually harassed for some of the advice that they gave and questions that they had asked. I thought that this place was different. I guess it's not. Let me tell you something...if anyone here decides to chastise me for some question that I might need answers to, or for some statement that I may make that someone might not agree with..I am going to tell that person/those people where to get off and then I am going to find a site that DOES treat people the way that they should be treated. If that does even exhist.

Do I agree with some of the ways that the OP had tried to break their hen of broodiness? NO I don't. But giving someone some good advice, better advice than what that person WAS getting is a better way to show them how to better care for their animals than chastising them and sending them away, so that maybe they continue to get their advice form their original source. Don't you think?

END OF RANT!

PS..Maybe the moderators put this post up so that we would give this person some GOOD advice, that maybe they needed it?

 

[21hens-incharge]

I posted on page 6 of this thread. It is my hopes that the post I made did not offend the OP. I do not know if the OP is even still reading this thread.
I am posting again to say that having read a lot of but not all of the posts others have made I am inclined to agree with Critterkeeper25. There were a lot of negative and chastising comments.

If I did offend the OP it is here that I offer my sincerest apologies. It was not my intention.

The only sound advise I can give the OP is to feed and water the broody and since it is a cochin let the broody run its course while making sure she has eaten and drank some.
You could try taking her out in the yard where there is some grass and good scratchings to do to get her moving around again. I know some broody hens will sit and sit and sit without paying attention to food put right in front of them.
It is hot here as well dang hot. Poor chickens in this heat. I know you do not want her to pass away sitting in that nest being stubborn. Perhaps a wire cage with no bottom that she can be in in the shade under a tree with some food and water will encourage her to stop the silliness. Thinking it would be cooler than the sunny areas but still brighter than inside the coop or nest box.
The only other option would be to try and give her some chicks after dark in hopes she takes them as her own.

Again my apologies if I offended the OP.

Babs

 

[MysteriaSdrassa]

I have read this thread, and the replies that follow. I just have to get this off my chest...This OP came here (I believe) to find BETTER advice on how to stop the broody behavior in one of his/her hens. There were some very helpful posts, in my opinion. BUT..there were also some that offered little beyond chastisement. Now...we don't know where this person is from, at least I didn't look to see. Maybe from the country. Maybe they are getting old time advice from the only source that they have. Then they decide to come here. For advice from people that seem to know what they are really doing. You know what I mean? There are people that come from different cultures, even within our own country. They feel/believe different things than some of us. That is who we are. We are all different. Now, you may have been made angry by some of the things that the OP said that they did. That's okay too. You are entitled to your opinion and beliefs. But it is MY belief that ALL people deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.

Not long ago I posted a little note to the moderators of this Forum. I told them how much that I appreciated the fact that there was no ridicule or condesention here. That this was an excellent site to visit for good information/advice and none of the aforementioned treatment of others. I came from another forum for horses where people were ridiculed and actually harassed for some of the advice that they gave and questions that they had asked. I thought that this place was different. I guess it's not. Let me tell you something...if anyone here decides to chastise me for some question that I might need answers to, or for some statement that I may make that someone might not agree with..I am going to tell that person/those people where to get off and then I am going to find a site that DOES treat people the way that they should be treated. If that does even exhist.

Do I agree with some of the ways that the OP had tried to break their hen of broodiness? NO I don't. But giving someone some good advice, better advice than what that person WAS getting is a better way to show them how to better care for their animals than chastising them and sending them away, so that maybe they continue to get their advice form their original source. Don't you think?

END OF RANT!

PS..Maybe the moderators put this post up so that we would give this person some GOOD advice, that maybe they needed it?

Ditto,,, 100% Thank you critterkeeper.. You pretty much said the exact same thing I was going to say. I had planned on answering this myself in response to all the flaming that the OP and other posters got but my brain was still reeling form the long tech posts I was writing for one of the AI threads,, I hate half-truths and miss-information,,, so you beat me to it. Bravo and well said,, I don't usually give ovations,, but you sir/ma'am deserve one for your post

 

[Garjzla]

I just find it abusive, it's one of the broodiest breeds and she gets dunked in water for being broody.

 

[MysteriaSdrassa]

I just find it abusive, it's one of the broodiest breeds and she gets dunked in water for being broody.

How is cooling down a miserable bird abusive? On hot days my girls hop right in the pool along with the ducks. Chickens can swim rather well believe it or not. They just can't stay in water as long because they don't have the down and oils that help ducks stay waterproof.

 

[CrazyChickLady7]

I just find it abusive, it's one of the broodiest breeds and she gets dunked in water for being broody.

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