A broody hen.
What is a broody hen?
A broody hen is caused by a hen that thinks she needs to hatch eggs, it happens usually when a hen is mature enough by a year or so. She will sit on eggs until usually they hatch, she will sit on them all day almost never leaving her nest *Sometimes going as far as stealing other hens eggs!* Commonly, Cochins, Silkies and Orpingtons Are the ones more broody.
Why should you break a broody hen?
Usually, a broody hen will start by making a nest in a quiet, dark spot and will spend all of her time there. She will start carrying bits of straw and feathers to line the nest and she will even pluck her own feathers from her breast to keep her eggs warm.
They will develop an ‘attitude’, growling and grumbling at you even if you just look at her! She may even give you a nasty peck if you try to move her.
She will fluff up her feathers to make herself look bigger and more threatening, her tail feathers will fan out like a turkey display- she does looks quite fierce like this.
They leave the nest perhaps a couple of times a day to eat, drink and poop. She takes little in the way of nourishment, so is likely to lose weight. Her normal poop will become large, infrequent and very foul smelling. Her feathers will lose some of the usual sheen.
If her eggs are unfertilized, or she is sitting on ‘invisible’ eggs, she needs to be broken. She will sit until something hatches- which clearly isn’t going to happen!
This prolonged period of brooding takes a lot of out of the hen. She is not eating well, only drinking a couple of times a day and is pooping infrequently. This is not good for her in the long term.
In extreme cases a hen can starve herself to death.
How do you break a broody hen?
step 1. Remove your hen from the nest and incourage her to stay out side, whatever your chicken likes. Food, treats, cuddles, her friends. Etc. if that doesnt work do stage 2. *Stage2* close her nest to prevent her from getting in, a broody chicken may steal another nest, so you may have to close down some others aswell. Stage 3. Remove her nesting supplies to prevent her from brooding, this only works in some cases but its worth a shot! Finally, the most extreme, chicken jail. Chicken jail is where you take a chicken and put her in some place like a large enough wire cage, give her only food and water and no nesting material, make sure she is alright though and dont torture the poor thing.
What are the risks for your hen if you dont break It?
-Lack of health
-Will stop eating and drinking for a while, dangerous long term.
-Looses weight , and sometimes feathers.
-Can be fatal as your chicken will not leave the nest usually until a egg is broke.
-Lack of excerise
-Gets anger issues and isnt kind to the others
-Steals others eggs and may not produce as many eggs aswell.
How long will the hen stay broody?
She can stay broody for a long time, until her eggs hatch,
Signs of a hen gone broody!
Anger issues, loss of weight, aggressive, not much egg production, stays in nest a lot. Etc.
/Credits for this thread/
some things were copied & pasted https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/6-ways-to-break-a-broody-hen/ all credits to this thread to them! Go check them out .
What is a broody hen?
A broody hen is caused by a hen that thinks she needs to hatch eggs, it happens usually when a hen is mature enough by a year or so. She will sit on eggs until usually they hatch, she will sit on them all day almost never leaving her nest *Sometimes going as far as stealing other hens eggs!* Commonly, Cochins, Silkies and Orpingtons Are the ones more broody.
Why should you break a broody hen?
Usually, a broody hen will start by making a nest in a quiet, dark spot and will spend all of her time there. She will start carrying bits of straw and feathers to line the nest and she will even pluck her own feathers from her breast to keep her eggs warm.
They will develop an ‘attitude’, growling and grumbling at you even if you just look at her! She may even give you a nasty peck if you try to move her.
She will fluff up her feathers to make herself look bigger and more threatening, her tail feathers will fan out like a turkey display- she does looks quite fierce like this.
They leave the nest perhaps a couple of times a day to eat, drink and poop. She takes little in the way of nourishment, so is likely to lose weight. Her normal poop will become large, infrequent and very foul smelling. Her feathers will lose some of the usual sheen.
If her eggs are unfertilized, or she is sitting on ‘invisible’ eggs, she needs to be broken. She will sit until something hatches- which clearly isn’t going to happen!
This prolonged period of brooding takes a lot of out of the hen. She is not eating well, only drinking a couple of times a day and is pooping infrequently. This is not good for her in the long term.
In extreme cases a hen can starve herself to death.
How do you break a broody hen?
step 1. Remove your hen from the nest and incourage her to stay out side, whatever your chicken likes. Food, treats, cuddles, her friends. Etc. if that doesnt work do stage 2. *Stage2* close her nest to prevent her from getting in, a broody chicken may steal another nest, so you may have to close down some others aswell. Stage 3. Remove her nesting supplies to prevent her from brooding, this only works in some cases but its worth a shot! Finally, the most extreme, chicken jail. Chicken jail is where you take a chicken and put her in some place like a large enough wire cage, give her only food and water and no nesting material, make sure she is alright though and dont torture the poor thing.
What are the risks for your hen if you dont break It?
-Lack of health
-Will stop eating and drinking for a while, dangerous long term.
-Looses weight , and sometimes feathers.
-Can be fatal as your chicken will not leave the nest usually until a egg is broke.
-Lack of excerise
-Gets anger issues and isnt kind to the others
-Steals others eggs and may not produce as many eggs aswell.
How long will the hen stay broody?
She can stay broody for a long time, until her eggs hatch,
Signs of a hen gone broody!
Anger issues, loss of weight, aggressive, not much egg production, stays in nest a lot. Etc.
/Credits for this thread/
some things were copied & pasted https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/6-ways-to-break-a-broody-hen/ all credits to this thread to them! Go check them out .
Also plucking their breast feathers out to make a nest is also a sign, right?
