How long do hens stay broody?

[dg14]

So the hen i talked about a few weeks ago took a break from being broody.. but shes back at it again. its so weird, shes broody, but whenever she goes to get food and water she puffs up, and everyone pecks her im like that looks so odd oyu'd think she'd defend herself.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A broody hen is sort of in a trance.
They will stay broody until they hatch and raise chicks, are broken from being broody, give up on their own or die.
Waiting for them to quit on their own is a bad idea.
Some never give up and eventually die so it's best to break them immediately if you aren't going to give them fertile eggs to hatch.

 

[dg14]

How do i break her of the habit?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Ages old tried and true method is to put the hen in a suspended wire bottom cage with no bedding and a little food and water.
The idea is to get her off the ground so cool air reaches her underside. It takes longer in hot weather. Caught early enough it works in about 2 days.
We used to have broody jails hanging from the hen house ceiling.

 

[dg14]

I dont have money to buy a cage :/

 

[dg14]

And i assume she goes away from the other hens? or no?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It doesn't matter. Any way you can get her elevated.
Another less effective option is to put ice in her nest box.

You don't have to buy a cage. We never did. We just took some welded wire mesh fencing, some sticks to reinforce a frame and wired one together. It doesn't have to be fancy. It just has to contain the hen and keep her off the ground.
In 3rd world countries, they can't afford cages either. They make them from sticks and wire or whatever is available to lash them together.