How to Break a Broody Hen

[WVForestGrl]

My French maran had been laying a beautiful dark brown egg every day for the past few months. She recently went broody but broke very easily compared to some of my bantams. She still hasn't started laying again, though, it's been nearly three weeks. Is this normal? I can't ID the eggs from any of my others so I've never noticed how long it takes them to start up again. Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My French maran had been laying a beautiful dark brown egg every day for the past few months. She recently went broody but broke very easily compared to some of my bantams. She still hasn't started laying again, though, it's been nearly three weeks. Is this normal? I can't ID the eggs from any of my others so I've never noticed how long it takes them to start up again. Thanks!

The faster you break them, the quicker they resume. I've had the resume within a week if broken immediately, and others have taken 4-6 weeks to resume.

 

[WVForestGrl]

Good to know it can be so long, thank you. She broke really quickly, 3 or 4 nights in the buster and done, unlike some of my bantams. Hopefully she'll start up again soon.

 

[hensofburgoyne]

We've got one who's determined to hatch sterile eggs! I remove her from the nest daily, timing it for when I put the kitchen scraps out, and make sure there's plenty of her favs. She'll stay off for a while...but always goes back ok the nest! I've even tried closing off the nest - and she totally freaked out, basically trying to break down the barrier/get in there any way she could. She tends to become quite the escape artist, just so she can then sit ON TOP of the nest box!

I don't have a place to put her in a wire cage that would be predator-safe, so any other ideas? I've had people tell me to line the nest box with rocks, ice cubes, frozen veg...

Or I could just wait it out...

 

[PamandEric2015]

Is there such a thing as "pre-broody"? My Buff Orpington ("Buff") has taken to staying in the laying box. First we thought it was just excessive time hanging in the ladies' lounge. It has now been three days since we've seen her come out of the hen house (the laying box hangs off their roosting quarters in the hen house). It has only been a few days, tho.

When I scoot her out of the laying box, she seems to stay out, but still doesn't leave the roost and commiserate with the rest of the flock (four other hens, she's the bottom of the pecking order).

But yesterday I found her sitting on the floor of the roost sitting on an egg, presumably one she had laid -- I'm doubting now that she scooped the egg out of the nesting box.

Would you recommend that I try to head this off at the pass with behavior modification now? Escalate to the brood-buster only when more tender methods fail?

 

[hensofburgoyne]

That's how mine started! She'd stay in whether or not an egg was in there - at first I thought maybe I just was always coming out when she was readying to lay...then after almost a week I inspected and saw full-on brood patch and realized...d'oh! New chicken mom mistakes (which should totally be a thing - #newchickenmommistakes )

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

There is definitely a pre broody stage. If you break them at this stage it goes quickly and they only stop laying for a few days as opposed to weeks.

 

[Judy925]

After suffering through 2 brood sessions so far, I found the answer to this problem with Tweedy. Take the biggest shotgun you own and point it at her. It works when my husband or twins get broody, and surprise! It worked with her. You don't need to load it. What they don't know won't hurt them (unless of course it IS loaded and you have an itchy trigger finger... in which case, just live with it). They ALL snap out of it eventually. Especially if you book a Mediterranean cruise for one as soon as they start.

 

[hensofburgoyne]

Happy to say when I got home from work today, my broody girl was out and about in the run. I'm a solid vote for wait it out and pray!

 

[ashleykorr]

I have had a broody for over a month now. I was happy enough to let her wait it out (as I have been in and out of town and dear hubby has been kind enough to take care of the girls for me). But it has been so long now. I am going to pick up a crate and try this. I tried consistently moving her out, and then thought I could just wait 21 days. She has stayed very sweet the whole time - never trying to peck me when I pick her up and coax her outside.
My question is - is it a bad thing to leave her in a cage in the run (predator-proof) with the other hens? Will that move her to the bottom of the pecking order? Or should I bring her into the house for a few days?