How to Break a Broody Hen

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Repeat broodies tend to continue to be so for about 2-3 which is their most productive age. They seem to be worse their first year. Some are less broody their second. I prefer no broodiness in my large breeds as I have bantams that do all my hatching for me.

 

[bruceha2000]

What a saga, bruceha! I hope I don't ever have 2 broodies at once, knock on wood.
The first time one of our girls ( #1) went broody was last fall when they were about 7 months old. At the same time, #2 and #3 (I had 4) began laying eggs outside of their coop in our open garage shed in a tote of hay. I removed the tote and things finally went back to normal with everyone. Last week as described above, #4 went broody. She was only on the nest acting moody and screechy for one day when I removed her to the cage. But darned if #2 and #3 didn't find another nest area in the garage shed. I thought they had stopped laying due to the heat, but there, behind a pile of boards was their nest with a little pile of eggs in the hollowed out dirt. This time I left the nest there and lined it with hay and am even thinking about making an official nest box in there. Because in the coop are now the pair of month-old chicks (that failed to entice #1 when she went broody again last month,) they are in a fenced off corner, and who knows how that's going to come across to the others. Well #1 went in and had a fit when she saw them, and even left in a huff to the garage to check out the alternative nest, but it didn't feel right and she went back to the coop and laid an egg in the nest box, babies or no. She's a RIR, and the Boss, and hopefully, the others will follow suit.
ps #1 had been broody almost a week when we got the 2 chicks. We drove (it's an hour and a half ) to Estes hatchery in Springfield, on a hatch day, and so the chicks were only hours old when introduced to #1, not even a day old. Surely they still had that new baby smell. But she wanted to kill them. She was definitely broody, but I guess it wasn't for long enough or she's just mean. She took 3 days in the cage to bust after the chick intro failure. BTW we got all four hens from Estes, so far so good on their sexing-- and the 2 youngsters still look very much like pullets.

I let Angel out of the buster yesterday and she stayed out of the nest

I put Zorra in yesterday I have to work to keep her in when I change the water. Really need to get an external water setup.

Clemence laid an egg today and apparently sat on it all day. She was pissy when I took her out at scratch time. NOT

The broody buster cage advise in this thread has been most helpful! I'm using the Havahart cages turned sideways and they are the perfect size for a hen and sometimes two if they are congenial with each other. A plastic dog crate feed/water dish will clip onto the sides and they seem to leave it alone without knocking it off or stepping in it.

This is my first flock and I'm having a terrible time with repeat offenders! Out of 29 hens I have three who have been broody four times now this spring and several others with two under their belts. I break them after 3-5 days (they are determined) and after a week of being back in the flock will lay again for another week and then go broody again! I had two others besides these who were going broody back to back and I re-homed them to someone who was looking for a broody hen. I collect eggs throughout the day and leave the light on in the coop so it's not too cozy dark and it doesn't seem to matter to these girls. They are all around one year of age so still pretty young in their laying careers. Some of the other girls broke right away and haven't shown any signs of a second attempt so far. They have a pretty large area to free range on most of the day so there should be lots of distractions with other chicken-y things to do.

I am wondering if they will continue this into the fall/winter and also wondering if this will be how they are for life or will they eventually snap out of it and be just an occasional broody hen vs. repeaters? It's definitely putting a dent in their laying and sooo much extra work trying to break them. I'm trying to make a decision about their futures here with us or if I should also re-home them. They are such sweet girls I am torn. I can handle an occasional broody but am getting impatient with the repeaters even with their sweet personalities.

Would love to know what others have experienced long term with this?

In my limited experience, once a broody always a broody. My 9 older girls are 4 Y/O now and all 4 that have been broody before have been broody this spring, some twice so far. My older broodies are both of the Faverolles, one of the Cubalayas and one of the Black Australorps.

Really sorry to hear how quickly your broodies go back to it. I usually get about a month before they go back.

 

[kkim]

Repeat broodies tend to continue to be so for about 2-3 which is their most productive age. They seem to be worse their first year. Some are less broody their second. I prefer no broodiness in my large breeds as I have bantams that do all my hatching for me.

Thank you for the reply.....I was afraid it would be a pattern that stayed with them. It's become more work taking care of the broody cages than the whole flock put together! I confess I'm starting to dread the cluck cluck noise when they start. Might be time to evaluate a re-home or two for my personal enjoyment of the rest of the flock. I don't mind as much the lack of laying as the disruption to the other hens trying to lay and the extra work involved keeping them contained.

 

[kkim]

In my limited experience, once a broody always a broody. My 9 older girls are 4 Y/O now and all 4 that have been broody before have been broody this spring, some twice so far. My older broodies are both of the Faverolles, one of the Cubalayas and one of the Black Australorps.

Really sorry to hear how quickly your broodies go back to it. I usually get about a month before they go back.

Thank you! I told my husband his nest boxes were too nicely made....they must be so comfy it triggers the instinct to hang out and start a family

My worst broodies with 4 times this year are a Blue Ameraucana, two Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, and an Olive Egger cross form a Blue Ameraucana/Maran. Another similarly bred Olive egger is on her third time this year with a third OE on her second one. Two Blue Orpingtons and another Blue Ameraucana are walking around cluck clucking tonight and getting all puffy so I'm pretty sure they will be starting their 2nd turn before I can empty the cages with the current broodies. It's crazy!

 

[bruceha2000]

Quote:

Well doesn't that just suck! At the rate you are going, you'll end up covering the nest boxes, putting the broody girls in teh coop and the NON broody girls in the buster with nesting material.

 

[kkim]

Well doesn't that just suck! At the rate you are going, you'll end up covering the nest boxes, putting the broody girls in teh coop and the NON broody girls in the buster with nesting material.

Lol..I am definitely at my wits end trying to break so many.....I empty the cages just in time to fill with more! Breaking the persistent repeaters doesn't seem to alter their behavior for any amount of egg collecting for the extra work of breaking them so Plan B is to re home some of the worst repeaters. They are just too much work and taking away from my enjoyment of the rest of the flock.

I am wondering how late into the summer/fall this happens? Do they do this year round or can I expect them to return to a happy non broody flock at some point?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I had a bunch that were broody last year too. The same troubles, one after another, and three at a time. This year there isn't as many as often. It seems like their first season is the worse for most of them. I do have a few that were broody last year going broody but not as often. They are usually worse in Spring and than it gets less through the season.

 

[bruceha2000]

Lol..I am definitely at my wits end trying to break so many.....I empty the cages just in time to fill with more! Breaking the persistent repeaters doesn't seem to alter their behavior for any amount of egg collecting for the extra work of breaking them so Plan B is to re home some of the worst repeaters. They are just too much work and taking away from my enjoyment of the rest of the flock.

I am wondering how late into the summer/fall this happens? Do they do this year round or can I expect them to return to a happy non broody flock at some point?

My broodies give it up later in the summer when they moult. But every one of the four 4 Y/Os have so far been broody 3-4 times every year after their first winter (hatched June 2012). I think Peep might be getting ready to visit the box again. I found her about noon sitting in a box. She laid an egg yesterday. She got off when I threw something into the run and all the girls nearby ran to it. There was an egg in the nest, from the 4 Y/O EE. Little Cubalaya sitting on an egg nearly twice the size of what she can lay. So she is feeling the "need" to incubate an egg. Usually when she gets like this she starts by sitting only if there is a real egg in the nest. If there is only the plastic one she stays out. Then Mrs Hyde starts to take over and plastic is good enough. I predict she will be in the box in a few days.

 

[csaylorchickens]

My hen went broody AGAIN and this time its 100 degrees outside. Despite my efforts to keep the coop cool, its too hot for a hen to stay in all day long! I found her panting heavy and looking drab. I pulled her out hosed her off and stuck her in the shade in the broody breaker with ice water. What a little turd. She has been on the nest from 9am till 130pm when i got home so i know she wasnt just laying. Humph....

 

[csaylorchickens]

Lol..I am definitely at my wits end trying to break so many.....I empty the cages just in time to fill with more!  Breaking the persistent repeaters doesn't seem to alter their behavior for any amount of egg collecting for the extra work of breaking them so Plan B is to re home some of the worst repeaters. They are just too much work and taking away from my enjoyment of the rest of the flock.

I am wondering how late into the summer/fall this happens? Do they do this year round or can I expect them to return to a happy non broody flock at some point?

I feel your pain. I have 4 salmon faverolles and i have had to use the broody breaker 7 times now in the past 8 months. They are just a year and a half. What a pain. I have 6 buffs that are 13 weeks old. If they are less broody im giving my faverolles away. They are not only broody but LOUD. My buff orpingtons barely make any noise at all.