How long Broody?

[mybelle5]

I'm very new to the chicken raising so forgive me if this is a repeated question..

Okay, three weeks ago my BO alpha female went broody. I take away any eggs I find under her. I've tried the water dunking to stop the broody, moved her out of the nesting area etc. But still, she puffs up like a blow fish and growls and refuses to move. (She’s ferocious!)

She and another that just went broody have not been laying any eggs for around 1.5 weeks now. Frustrating..

Will she or the other ever get back to normal? Truly how long does this take and NO I do not want to raise chicks. These are plenty...

Your suggestion and advice please.. Thanks

 

[Julie08]

I have never heard of water dunking! Poor thing! Answer is she will stop being broody when she stops........ why it is so frustating? I can think of a lot of frustrating thing but a motherly hen wouldn't be enough to frustate me. Maybe you can try putting her in a cage for a while by herself. I better stop while I'm ahead here.

Good luck with your troubled hen.

 

[mybelle5]

Okay, let me rephrase the situation: It's not the like dunking her like your imaging. I sit her"nicely" in a cool tub of water to cool off the chest for around 5 mins. It's not like I forced her under water. screaming at her,"STOP being Broody bad chicken". I've read about this and also found it on some other poulty board.
(rolling eyes!)

Frustrating, (Figure of speech!)

 

[basicliving]

I would put her in a wire cage in the coop - make sure there is nothing in the cage for her to build a nest out of.

I know being broody takes a lot out of my hens - I let mine hatch out chicks and if I don't force them off their nest once every day or so, they'd probably starve themselves to death! I agree it can be very frustrating when all you want is a happy healthy flock and hens LAYING eggs! If you aren't going to let her hatch out chicks (and I completely understand not wanting to), you are doing the right thing to try and break her from being broody.

Try the cage suggestion - and you can use the search function on BYC to look for other suggestions and things people have done to break a broody.

Best of luck - and let us know how it goes!

Penny

 

[LynneP]

Another way-

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-sick-hen