How to Break a Broody Hen

[aart]

Upthread it said it lasts about 3 weeks. That seems pretty brief. Just wondering.

That's how long it takes to incubate chicken eggs.
A broody may not stop setting at that point unless she has hatched chicks.

 

[bruceha2000]

Upthread it said it lasts about 3 weeks. That seems pretty brief. Just wondering.

Incubation takes 3 weeks. The problem with a broody hen sitting on infertile eggs, fake eggs or just shavings is that she likely won't get off until they start to develop which of course they never will.

My understanding of the normal flow is for a hen to sit 3 days so the eggs have constant temp until she determines they are developing (how she knows I have no idea). After that she will get off the nest daily to eat, drink, poop, preen. About 3 days before the chicks are to hatch she will lock down on the nest until they hatch. That is how I treated the broody I was holding for the chicks that came 3 weeks ago. I took her off the nest morning and afternoon for treat and food time with the rest of the flock. She would stay out MAYBE 15 minutes then go back to her nest. I didn't take her out the day the chicks arrived and I put them under her the next night. Now she is happily raising the 6 chicks she "hatched" from 3 fake eggs.

Not real healthy to sit on a nest for 3 weeks and not eat or drink. In fact they wouldn't live that long. I let one go, with daily tossing off the nest, for 5 weeks. She still didn't break and ended up in the buster. Now I stick them in there as soon as they go broody because like you I have no rooster.

 

[Bruthabuz]

I came here for this specific subject. I have a hen that's probably two years old, but hasn't been broody until a few weeks ago. Every time I go to collect eggs, she's in the same nesting box by herself. All of her flockmates (except for the ones who are really laying eggs) are out eating & drinking, foraging, or resting. She is exhibiting the same symptoms described here. She makes herself look larger, and screams and pecks at my hand when I reach under her to get the eggs. Sometimes there's a broken one under her. For the past few days, I've been shooing her out into the yard, but she goes back in after I leave. I'm going to try the method of putting her in a large cage for a few days and see what happens. Thank you for this!

 

[Bruthabuz]

I came here for this specific subject. I have a hen that's probably two years old, but hasn't been broody until a few weeks ago. Every time I go to collect eggs, she's in the same nesting box by herself. All of her flockmates (except for the ones who are really laying eggs) are out eating & drinking, foraging, or resting. She is exhibiting the same symptoms described here. She makes herself look larger, and screams and pecks at my hand when I reach under her to get the eggs. Sometimes there's a broken one under her. For the past few days, I've been shooing her out into the yard, but she goes back in after I leave. I'm going to try the method of putting her in a large cage for a few days and see what happens. Thank you for this!

Since I took her out of the nest, egg production has increased slightly. This makes me think that instead of leaving to go eat, she may have been eating some eggs while sitting on the nest for so long. Possible? The nest she was sitting on was the one that usually has the most eggs.