How to Break a Broody Hen

[TheSpiceGirls]

Yea, a cage is really the best method. I ended up buying a dog crate and I will say it's come in handy on many occasions. I've seen them at resale shops for pretty cheep or try Craig's list for an inexpensive one. Some even fold up flat for easy storage. But if you have chickens, you may find you use it more than you think you would.

 

[bcmama]

Yea, a cage is really the best method.  I ended up buying a dog crate and I will say it's come in handy on many occasions.  I've seen them at resale shops for pretty cheep or try Craig's list for an inexpensive one.  Some even fold up flat for easy storage.  But if you have chickens, you may find you use it more than you think you would.

I have dog crates but the spacing at the bottom is so wide her little feet will fall through. Guess I better start looking around.

 

[bcmama]

Yea, a cage is really the best method.  I ended up buying a dog crate and I will say it's come in handy on many occasions.  I've seen them at resale shops for pretty cheep or try Craig's list for an inexpensive one.  Some even fold up flat for easy storage.  But if you have chickens, you may find you use it more than you think you would.

I have dog crates but the spacing at the bottom is so wide her little feet will fall through. Guess I better start looking around.

 

[bcmama]

Yea, a cage is really the best method.  I ended up buying a dog crate and I will say it's come in handy on many occasions.  I've seen them at resale shops for pretty cheep or try Craig's list for an inexpensive one.  Some even fold up flat for easy storage.  But if you have chickens, you may find you use it more than you think you would.

I have dog crates but the spacing at the bottom is so wide her little feet will fall through. Guess I better start looking around.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

For whatever it's worth, I put her in a dog crate w/ the hard plastic side down. My BO is 8 lbs and I just can't bring myself to let her stand on a wire floor for 3-4 days. And it breaks her just fine.

I've found really, just keeping her out of the nests will break her. The first few times she went broody, she was the only one that laid in the one little hen house so I'd just lock her out of it all day long and that broke her.

So I say just put her in the dog crate.

OR, you can go to the local hardware store and buy a small piece of 1/2" welded wire and cut it to fit the floor of your crate.

 

[allie8302]

I have one that has been broody (just learned that is what it is called) for two days, if I wait 19 more she should be done? I never see her get up, but she has everyone's (all six) eggs under her lol. I've just been pushing her off each day. I even put treats in the pen and she didn't come out!

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I have one that has been broody (just learned that is what it is called) for two days, if I wait 19 more she should be done? I never see her get up, but she has everyone's (all six) eggs under her lol. I've just been pushing her off each day. I even put treats in the pen and she didn't come out!

Noooo, She won't just snap out of it after 21 days unless she actually hatches eggs. Then she goes from protective broody to full blown mama hen. Some get over it in about a month, some will sit and be broody for months and months. It can really take a toll on them. So if you don't have plans to let her hatch, it might be best to break her rather than let her sit in a hot nest for weeks or potentially months.

 

[SportChick]

We were getting excited because one of our hens (we thought) had finally gone broody and we were going to sneak some fertilized eggs under her but when I collected the eggs she was sitting on she sat a while longer and then she got up. Did I blow it? Do I have to put fake eggs under her or if she was that easy to break, maybe she wasn't really broody after all?

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

We were getting excited because one of our hens (we thought) had finally gone broody and we were going to sneak some fertilized eggs under her but when I collected the eggs she was sitting on she sat a while longer and then she got up. Did I blow it? Do I have to put fake eggs under her or if she was that easy to break, maybe she wasn't really broody after all?

Hmmm, if she got up that easily, she probably wasn't broody. Was she sleeping in the nest box? That's usually a tell-tailed sign that a hen is broody. In addition to the defending the nest like there's no tomorrow, growing and pecking.

Now she might have just been ready to get up for a break as they do take a break a few times a day to eat, drink and poop. So don't panic yet. She may come back to those eggs. But either way, be sure to mark them with a pencil mark X or something so you know which eggs are the ones you want her to sit on vs. eggs you want to collect to eat.

 

[allie8302]

Noooo, She won't just snap out of it after 21 days unless she actually hatches eggs. Then she goes from protective broody to full blown mama hen. Some get over it in about a month, some will sit and be broody for months and months. It can really take a toll on them. So if you don't have plans to let her hatch, it might be best to break her rather than let her sit in a hot nest for weeks or potentially months.

Thanks!! It is really hot here today (83!) but by Saturday it will be like 60, so goes Ohio weather. I have a friend who has a rooster so she is getting us some fertilized eggs, should be fun! I have never done this before (we bought ours as chicks from Tractor Supply). I will read through the 37 pgs of replies to this post when i have more time. Is there a place to go for info on that? Or should I just let her do her thing?