How To Stop a Broody Pullet

[Farmgirl1000]

Hey ya'll,
Question for ya!
This morning my chicken Penny went into the coop about 10:30 and hasn't come out since. It's 6:36 in the afternoon now... she's definitely broody.... tries to bite me every time I touch her, very protective of her clutch of eggs under her, checks them often, a dull, glassy look in her eyes, turns her eggs over every once in a while, her body is warm, screeches at me, and sometimes pushes them deeper under her feathers. Not to mention it's springtime. She won't eat either. And she's still a pullet! Not even a year old yet. She hatched last summer on August 28th, 2014. According to a friend of mine, who also raises chickens, says that she will most likely die from being broody so young, and he said one of his pullets did the same thing once... and died... true??

Plus I can't have roosters where I live. So... HOW DO I GET HER OFF THE NEST?! I've already tried trying to gently pushing her off but she won't budge. ):
I'm going to feel terrible taking her off the eggs.

 

[donrae]

Sorry but your friend is wrong. Your bird is a fine age to brood, and no she won't die. Sounds like you'll want to break her, though, if you're not set up to raise chicks. She won't like you messing with her, and if you're like me and hate getting pecked, you might want to wear long sleeves and gloves lol. She'll make lots of unhappy noises when you put her in the broody buster cage, but it usually only takes 3-5 days. IMO it's far kinder to break her than let her body go through the stress of brooding with no return of chicks.

 

[Judy]

I don't know that I'd agree that it's LIKELY she will die , but it can certainly happen.
Even if they get up daily to eat and drink, as they are "supposed to," the lose weight while setting.
An occasional hen doesnt get up at all so can starve to death. And putting food and water rught next to the nest is not a good solution as the need to get up and get a little exercise, if their muscles and joints are to be healthy when they broodiness passes.

The "broody cage" is probably the most effective stop to broodiness -- other than letting them hatch some eggs, obviously. Here is an article on stopping broodiness:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens

 

[I Love Layers]

My chickens were always going broody, just take the eggs away if you've don't want chicks, if you find someone who has fertilized eggs do a breed you want you can put those eggs under the hen and she will hatch them,