How to Break a Broody Hen

[ChickenPeep]

My broody girl Winter is so dang stubborn! I've had her in a cage with a wire bottom for 2 days and the whole time she's in there, she still sits like she has eggs under her! I've been trying everything I can.

 

[ChickenPeep]

Has anyone ever tried putting a cold pack under the nest box? I have a 'portable' wooden nest box and I was wondering if this would discourage her and break her of her broodiness. I just put one under the nest box and I'll update on how it goes.

 

[Eyeshot]

when you reintroduce the broody hen back into the flock don't they get picked on?

 

[laurelhed]

Thank you much! This sounds like greasy advice, but what do you do for a duck? I have a super hormonal Muscovy hen who has been broody for most if a year and she is EVIL. She chases and attacks her sisters, the chickens, me, my 5 year old, and today she attacked the dog. I'm almost to the point of handing her over to a friend to have for dinner, but she is still my baby. She's only 2. Ducks can't be kept in wire bottom cages . Any ideas?

 

[laurelhed]

And none of the advice sounded greasy at all. It was all very nice and clean. {Sigh} Spellcheck.

 

[Magoonichicks]

I have a broody hen, she is usually really sweet until now. I have picked her up and set her down twice now. and still she sits. Is it ok to leave her alone for a couple weeks? Im going on vacation for two weeks and i dont know that i can break her in 3 days, and i dont want to ask my house sitter to worry about it...

 

[EetMorCow]

I've been lurking for a few months but after following the advice in this forum, I had to join and thank everyone. We got chickens about six months ago and have jumped in with both feet. One of the hens took over a nest box and screamed whenever it was opened. That lasted for about four days. Took her out and she went right back. Followed the advice here and made up a broody buster. Put her in it for three days and moved her back into the coup after everyone else went in for the night. That was three days ago and it's like she completely forgot her broody behavior. Looking forward to being part of this community, learning and sharing.

 

[mirsy09]

When I have a broody hen, I simply take her out of the coop and put her in a stall with my young hens. There is no nest in the stall for them to lay in and they are only able to walk around on the shavings on the ground. After 3 or 4 days of this, I can return them to the coop with no more desire to be broody. I think this is a very stressless method AND it works every time.

 

[moonflower17]

I broke her after 4 days

Thanks to this thread!

Were you able to break her habit from taking her from the nest or did you have to use the wire thing? Just wondering.

 

[mirsy09]

I remove my hen from the nest and put her in a stall in my barn with no nest. I just did that this week and I do it quite often. It's easy and after 3-4 days, I just put her back in the coop and she is fine and NOT broody.