how to break my hen of being broody

[45519]

My Buff Orp Victoria's been on the verge of going broody since she laid her first egg (April 2, this year). The first egg she laid, she wanted to sit on that thing til it hatched. Which it wouldn't, since we don't have a roo. She lays 6/wk. She's been on the nest all day today. It's 5pm. I think she's got an egg under her. Not fertilized, obviously. Do I take her off the nest? Steal the egg from under her butt? What's the best plan?

In the near(ish) future, I can get some fertile eggs for her to hatch. But not today. And I don't want her to sit on this egg til it rots.

 

[Cindilou]

I stuck my hand in and pulled out the egg today from under my sorta-broody minorca.
I also moved her into the run yesterday but she got back in the box. She was off and on in the run today...playing it by ear on my end but I still stick my hand in there and get any eggs, they aren't fertilized either.

 

[zippitydooda]

I have a barred rock who just started acting broody a few days ago. I lift her out, shoo her outside and take the eggs. She sneaks back in when I leave, but at least I know she is nibbling a bit and getting a drink. This is my first broody, so I can't help you... let me know what you find out.

 

[al6517]

There is a very good and easy way to break a hen from staying broody, it is safe and harmless and does the job but I fear some of you don't have the gut's to do it and so I will leave it at that. If you still want to know PM me, but not on the general forum. I don't want to get broiled by all the wet hens on this site LOL.

 

[Thomas423]

Quote:
Al, thanks for the PM. Your method makes perfect sense.
One problem though.....I'm afraid of her. LOL
She growls and triples in size anytime I go anywhere near the egg boxes.
I might try it anyway. She already hates me for taking the eggs.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Al, thanks for the PM. Your method makes perfect sense.
One problem though.....I'm afraid of her. LOL
She growls and triples in size anytime I go anywhere near the egg boxes.
I might try it anyway. She already hates me for taking the eggs.

Your an adult, she's a chicken, how hard can it be Tom ??. I don't care if they hate me for taking their egg's I hate them for being broody LOL. Seriously if I have a broody and don't mind her setting at that time fine. But if I have other chicken stuff happening and don't want the hassle of messin with her, than by god she get's my break the broody treatment. I ain't skeeered of no dang chicken.

AL

 

[SallyF]

When I was a kid and had to gather eggs, we carried an empty can (used a tobacco can, but any empty vegetable can will do) and just clapped that over the hen's head while reaching under her for the eggs. The hens were highly insulted, of course, but we got the eggs and never got pecked.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
LOL....... see Tom.................... Sally 1.... broody chicken 0, easy peezy.

 

[elmo]

There are a lot of people who will claim there are simple ways to break a broody, but I think those are mostly just old wives tales. A chicken's hormones aren't going to be changed by dunking them in cold water, and it's hormones that cause broodiness. Sometimes a hen's broodiness is not that strong to begin with and she can easily be discouraged simply by removing her access to nesting materials (putting her in a separate pen without a nest for a couple of days).

 

[[email protected]]

im not sure if my chickens becoming broody or not i have 2 chickens laying and two that arent laying yet i have caught both of them sitting on their egg for a while after theyve layed a few times but i take the egg and coax them out of the house and they just go, but they dont try to go back in or get angry with me - should i worry about them becoming broody or is this normal?