How to deal with multiple broody pullets?

[SarahGfa]

I have a flock of 6-month-old leghorns who won't stop being broody! I thought that leghorns don't get broody? I also thought that pullets don't get broody... what is going on with my flock?

Right now there are 3 broody girls. One has been going at it for 2 weeks, and the other two just started. I've been tossing them outside several times a day, but no dice. I tried closing up the coop, but one brown leghorn snuck into the garage and is now brooding on the garage table . I gave up on locking them out because I'm worried they'll run off into the woods and go be broody where something will eat them.

I don't have a spare cage (let alone 3). If I just let them be, will they eventually snap out of it? They're not sitting on any eggs or anything.

Another question -- after a hen stops being broody, how long does it take for her to start laying again? There was another broody pullet that I "broke" a month ago, but she has not laid any eggs since. I am worried that she is hiding them somewhere (they free range).

 

[LRH97]

Broody Leghorns? Interesting. Rare, but probably not completely unheard of. I have a Polish hen who is a very MEAN and persistent broody, so just goes to show that it boils down to the individual.

I've never had a broody that young either. Again, uncommon but probably not unheard of either. You're sure of their breed and age? In any event, I would recommend you purchase a dog crate or something similar to use as a broody breaker. A wire bottom with no litter works for me. The goal is to make it as least cozy as possible.

If you don't want your birds to brood, you should break them as soon as possible. Would they eventually give up? Probably. However, the brooding process is very straining on a bird's health. Spare her the stress if she won't be hatching anything. As far as beginning to lay again, it varies by bird, and the longer she's allowed to set, the longer you can likely expect to wait for her to resume laying, and the harder it will be to break her. So, the sooner the better. Good luck!

 

[SarahGfa]

I've never had a broody that young either. Again, uncommon but probably not unheard of either. You're sure of their breed and age? In any event, I would recommend you purchase a dog crate or something similar to use as a broody breaker. A wire bottom with no litter works for me. The goal is to make it as least cozy as possible.

I raised them from chicks so I'm sure of their age They came from Ideal Poultry and I think the breed is correct. It's even weirder, because I thought hatchery hens are even less likely to go broody! It has been very hot here, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Is it okay to put multiple broodys in the same cage? If so, I'll get a big one.

 

[aart]

Is it okay to put multiple broodys in the same cage? If so, I'll get a big one.

It's been done, but I'd recommend smaller crates for the broodies now and down the road.
Pics would confirm leghorn or not.
Are you positive they are broody....and not just hiding out or ill?

I've had pullets go broody, but they were pretty darn easy to break without a crate...tho one became a serial broody when she got older(broke her 6 times this year after letting her hatch in March)

 

[SarahGfa]

Here is a pic... right now I have a brown, buff, and white one in broody mode. Not sure if it is these exact birds or their sisters because I can't always tell them apart.

 

[SarahGfa]

It's been done, but I'd recommend smaller crates for the broodies now and down the road.
Pics would confirm leghorn or not.
Are you positive they are broody....and not just hiding out or ill?

I've had pullets go broody, but they were pretty darn easy to break without a crate...tho one became a serial broody when she got older(broke her 6 times this year after letting her hatch in March)

I'm pretty sure they are broody... two of them are doing the angry growl where they flare their tails up. The brown one doesn't really growl or complain when I pick her up, but after she snuck into the garage she stole a roll of paper towels and tore it up to make a nest on the table

Man oh man, I can't imagine breaking a broody every month like you. She must be permanently living in a crate!

 

[aart]

Those sure are leghorns...nice looking birds.
Wonders if the crossing for color makes them less production birds and thus more likely to brood? Probably not but<shrugs>

She must be permanently living in a crate!

Yeah, pretty much, sure feels that way.
Takes up to a week to break her, then a couple weeks between broody events.
Not sure if I'd rather deal with a serial broody or multiple broodies at once...neither would be best.

 

[SarahGfa]

okay, i will pick up some HW cloth and 2x4's later and get the SO to make me some broody cages later this week (i can't afford to buy dog crates for every hen in my flock that might go broody). Do the broodys need to be kept far away from each other? Is that the reason for small seperate cages?

 

[aart]

okay, i will pick up some HW cloth and 2x4's later and get the SO to make me some broody cages later this week (i can't afford to buy dog crates for every hen in my flock that might go broody). Do the broodys need to be kept far away from each other? Is that the reason for small seperate cages?

Nope, just thought the smaller cages would be handier down the road. The folding crates are explicitly nice because they fold up and store in much less space. I got most mine from flea markets and yard sale for $10-20.

 

[SarahGfa]

Great news! After a full day and night in the broody cage, the brown leghorn seems to have gotten over it. I thought I would need to leave her in there longer but maybe pullets are easier to break.

The white leghorn got over it too. She got kicked out of the nest box by another hen, and while looking for a new nest she managed to step on one of the sticky mousetraps behind the feed bins (I thought I had hidden them good enough but guess not). So she ran around squaking for an hour trying to shake off the mousetrap and forgot about being broody. I don't recommend trying this

One more broody left to break