How to Break a Broody Hen

[Choco Maran]

I would not have washed them in dish soap b/c of the chance it would soak into the egg from washing them. They Last longer and are fresher if you do not wash the eggs. IMHO.

 

[bruceha2000]

I would not have washed them in dish soap b/c of the chance it would soak into the egg from washing them. They Last longer and are fresher if you do not wash the eggs. IMHO.

IF they were laid in a clean nest and collected daily, yes. I never wash those eggs, nor do I refrigerate them. More likely to have problems in the summer if you pull the eggs out of the refrigerator and they start to sweat.

These eggs are dirty, stained and obviously some are pushing 2 weeks old since there are 13 of them. The not washing thing is to keep the bloom on them so bacteria won't get in. It does wear off over time. Soap will not get through the shell.

 

[dmfmfl]

I found an instant cure for broodiness! My New Hamshire red "Henrietta" went broody back in May and it lasted for like 5 weeks. No matter what I did nothing worked. She finally came out of it and started laying eggs again. Well for about 2 weeks and she's right back at it. My sister, who once raised chickens said they go broody when their body temp goes up. Well, I'm living in Florida and it's July. hot hot hot! So what's the best way to cool off your kids? Yep, hose them down. Lol I hosed her down with cold, well cool,water until she was soaking wet. Now mind you she got a good exercise trying to get away from the water. But it was instant. She no longer is broody and it's day 4 since getting her all wet...drenched is more like it. And she's back to laying eggs. If anyone else tries this I'd love to hear about it. Hope it works for you.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If she resumed laying after 4 days she probably wasn't broody to begin with, the soonest I have seen is about two weeks when caught early and broken early. Dunking, wetting and ice are all not good ways to do it. It's stressful and lasts only until the wet chicken gets back to her nest. Yes, I have tried it, and I felt bad afterwards. The wire bottom crate is a better way.

 

[bruceha2000]

Mine usually go back to laying in 4 or 5 days after breaking.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine usually go back to laying in 4 or 5 days after breaking.

Good to know that it's possible.

 

[Fbkchicks15]

I had a broody 15 mos old leghorn hen last week and was able to break her after two days. At first when she was introduced back into pen she bothered the other hens. Now the tide has turned and she is afraid to be in the pen because one of the Reds is chasing and pecking her. I have two leghorns and two red rangers. She runs up to the coop and will stay in there. When I throw food in the pen she will get real flighty and nervous and won't hang around. I have let her stay out of the pen these last two days so the others can relax and lay their eggs. She will hang closeby.
Anybody experience this? She has been fine at nights when roosting.
HELP!!

 

[RedWolfTX]

Two of my girls have been broody for the past two months now - it's blazing hot here in Austin, and even if I cage them, they won't cool down. I brought one of them inside in the air conditioned house in the broody buster cage. She started to snap out of it, cooing again instead of clucking, after being inside for three days. But as soon as she was back out in the heat, she was broody again. That was six weeks ago. Five weeks ago, the Wyandotte went broody as well. Only my two easter eggers aren't at the moment.

 

[DeatonAcres]

Thank you Sunny Side up!
I thought that I was going to lose my mind. My black Australorca hen, LaQueeta, was broody beyond belief. For some reason, she and my other three hens like to lay their eggs in the same nest. With LaQueeta setting on it all day and night, the others were quite distressed. Sunshine, Goldy and Rockelle would crowd in beside or on top of LaQueeta to lay. They would bicker and scold to no avail. LaQueeta would not leave the nest. I tried removing her to outside both morning and evening for four days before I looked on the internet for help.
I used a raccoon trap with the ends resting on a stump and an unsplit firewood round. At night, I would take the trap inside the coop. Our coop is a modified old aluminum travel trailer. The trap fit perfectly over the sink and the large opening in the counter where the stove/oven had been removed. In the morning I would carry it back outside. I made sure that she had food and water as you advised and left her in the trap for 31/2 days. I let her out in the early evening after I had distributed the usual kitchen scraps that I take the chickens. I just opened the trap door and she happily rejoined the flock to eat their "treats". She has not been broody since.
Thank you. THANK YOU!

Deaton Acres

 

[bruceha2000]

Thank you Sunny Side up!
I thought that I was going to lose my mind. My black Australorca hen, LaQueeta, was broody beyond belief. For some reason, she and my other three hens like to lay their eggs in the same nest. With LaQueeta setting on it all day and night, the others were quite distressed. Sunshine, Goldy and Rockelle would crowd in beside or on top of LaQueeta to lay. They would bicker and scold to no avail. LaQueeta would not leave the nest. I tried removing her to outside both morning and evening for four days before I looked on the internet for help.
I used a raccoon trap with the ends resting on a stump and an unsplit firewood round. At night, I would take the trap inside the coop. Our coop is a modified old aluminum travel trailer. The trap fit perfectly over the sink and the large opening in the counter where the stove/oven had been removed. In the morning I would carry it back outside. I made sure that she had food and water as you advised and left her in the trap for 31/2 days. I let her out in the early evening after I had distributed the usual kitchen scraps that I take the chickens. I just opened the trap door and she happily rejoined the flock to eat their "treats". She has not been broody since.
Thank you. THANK YOU!

Deaton Acres

Cool idea for a quick and dirty broody buster if you have one on hand! Though I would think maybe only a Bantam breed would be able to stand up in it so probably not the best if you have serial broodies.

??? Australorca ??? You mean Australorp?