How Can I Get A Hen UN Broody?

[bwalden]

I've been wondering.....is shipping hatching eggs in the heat of summer successful?
I would be worried they'd get way too hot in a mail truck somewhere along the line.

Yes normally if temps are 90-100 degrees like it usually is here in Arkansas in July I don't like to ship. But this year has been very mild so far here in Arkansas. Of course that is always something to take into consideration when buying shipped eggs is the weather. Too hot or too cold can effect your hatch rates.

 

[ekofke201]

My Orpington sat on nothing or eggs that would never hatch (we do not have rooster) for at least 12 weeks. I would remove her and put her outside... It was not until I locked all of the chickens completely out of the coop/run while they were free ranging that she stopped. I did this for two consecutive days. And we have found eggs everywhere

. Luckily, we are not eating them right now following antibiotics.

That was all that worked for me...

 

[Bine]

I have a one-chick-family policy since my space is limited. Somehow my two black Fizzles hatched together three chicks earlier this year, a little white and a little blue/buff columbia roo and a perl gray girl.

My grey splash hen, hatched a little grey (maybe splash) chick and now the newest chicks:




8 days old chicks from my black/buff columbia and blue/buff columbia hens



5 days old from under my buff/white dotted hen.... maybe not the real mother.....



Hatched yesterday from my golden neck hen....

They stay in the kindergarden in my living room - big old bunny cages- til they can fly and roost with the other birds.
The mothers are calm lodgers and used to this arangement b/c they were raised like this and/or not for the first time on maternity leave.
O/c you can set up a coop for the broodies, but since they do nothing but sit it is no big deal to have them indoors.... having budgies indoors is more trouble.

 

[Nofowlplay]

The thing I have learned about broodies is that when broody and for a while after that they are totally in love with the idea of chicks and anyone or anything other than that they totally hate.
I think given a week or two to calm down and get the hormones straightened out she will calm down a lot.
My bantam cochin will go after the big Black Australorps for a week or two once she is off the nest. Then they are back to being buddies.

All is well once again with my little flock. The girls are getting along and the AM is laying again.! Was worried for awhile since it took almost 3 weeks! Thanks for the encouragement. I followed your advice and it was sound.

 

[drumbochick]

I have two broodies, my problem is that I can shut them out for a while but my other hens need to get to roost, I take the two of them out every day to make them socialize with the other hens,they are both the same breed, Wyandotte (?) and lock the coup for a few hours

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have had success with putting the broody in a smaller pen but with company, another broody, an extra rooster, someone who's from the same group, so there's no real fighting, the constant squabbling, or attention from the rooster keep her from setting down. I find that one broody hen can quickly give other hens the idea, and before you know it you have half your flock broody, they are disruptive to the whole flock, of course if they are banties, then they're all broody, and I just let them go or put them to work hatching eggs.

 

[Nofowlplay]

I have two broodies, my problem is that I can shut them out for a while but my other hens need to get to roost, I take the two of them out every day to make them socialize with the other hens,they are both the same breed, Wyandotte (?) and lock the coup for a few hours

I would wait till the non broodies finished laying eggs for the day then let the broody out of the buster cage to run around in the pen separated from the others who I put in the run. Worked very well. Glad it's over for awhile though.

 

[N F C]

I have had success with putting the broody in a smaller pen but with company, another broody, an extra rooster, someone who's from the same group, so there's no real fighting, the constant squabbling, or attention from the rooster keep her from setting down. I find that one broody hen can quickly give other hens the idea, and before you know it you have half your flock broody, they are disruptive to the whole flock, of course if they are banties, then they're all broody, and I just let them go or put them to work hatching eggs.

Just curious...does that hold true regardless of breed?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have never had a banty hen that wasn't broody more than half a year, don't matter what season, I have 10 hens of various breeds and 6 are broody at the moment, I have not had game Bantam so those I can't say, I use my Bantam hens to hatch all kinds of poultry for me, some I let raise, others like turkeys I take after hatch, they seem confused for a day then go right on sitting on nothing, I love bantams

 

[N F C]

That's really interesting. I've never had a bantam so didn't know. Thanks @oldhenlikesdogs !