I need some help with my broody hens. I really need some advice!!

[Farmgirl283420]

I have two broody hens, one went broody a couple days ago, the other I discovered last night. I am going on vacation at the end of the month and I really don’t want anymore chickens. Not to mention my hens always hatch an abundance of roosters. I have a little side coop I use for them when they are broody, but I currently have three cockerels in there from my last broody hen. I have a few questions. For the hen that started sitting a few days ago, is it too late to take away her eggs? Are they already alive and growing? How can I break her and the other hen. Do they need to go into a cage? How long should it take to break them? Thanks in advance!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Can someone please help? @Mrs. K

 

[SamLockwood]

I have two broody hens, one went broody a couple days ago, the other I discovered last night. I am going on vacation at the end of the month and I really don’t want anymore chickens. Not to mention my hens always hatch an abundance of roosters. I have a little side coop I use for them when they are broody, but I currently have three cockerels in there from my last broody hen. I have a few questions. For the hen that started sitting a few days ago, is it too late to take away her eggs? Are they already alive and growing? How can I break her and the other hen. Do they need to go into a cage? How long should it take to break them? Thanks in advance!

There's a bunch of different techniques. My preferred method is to simply just physically remove them from the nesting boxes every time I check for eggs. Some people remove them from the flock entirely, others put cold-packs under them to try to lower their body temperature (they run hotter when they're broody).

Unless you're going to be gone for at least 3 weeks, I wouldn't worry about it. You can always just chuck any partially-developed eggs you don't want to hatch.

When I've got broodies and I know I'm going to be out of town and the less-than-reliable persons are in charge of egg collection, I just make sure to candle everything when I get back.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

There's a bunch of different techniques. My preferred method is to simply just physically remove them from the nesting boxes every time I check for eggs. Some people remove them from the flock entirely, others put cold-packs under them to try to lower their body temperature (they run hotter when they're broody).

Unless you're going to be gone for at least 3 weeks, I wouldn't worry about it. You can always just chuck any partially-developed eggs you don't want to hatch.

When I've got broodies and I know I'm going to be out of town and the less-than-reliable persons are in charge of egg collection, I just make sure to candle everything when I get back.

So it’s ok to remove the eggs she has been on for a few days? If I keep kicking her off will she stop? With the one hen that has been broody twice, the others usually kick her off her nest, so I have to help her. With almost everything. She is so used to me picking her up off her nest she doesn’t even growl. Will me doing this actually break her? I wish I could set something up for them but I don’t have enough small coops, and i simply don’t want anymore chickens! Thanks for the help.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am of no help, in twenty years of keeping chickens I have only broken one, I cave in and give them eggs! Good luck.

 

[ManOverBoard]

We have a small animal carrier, like a small dog crate. We put our broodies in there for a couple of days inside the coop, so they're still with the flock, with a water source and daily feed, usually in two days there off being broody.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I found someone who will take her eggs and incubate them. I really want both of them to be able to hatch their eggs, but i won’t be here and the side coop is occupied. Hopefully they’ll go broody again in a few months. I could use some tips on how to break a hen if anyone has them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The way Dad broke a broody hen and the way I break broody hens is to lock them in an elevated cage or coop with a wire bottom so air can get to her undersides. Give her food and water but nothing like a nest. Try letting her out in 72 hours. If she goes back to her nest put her in there again for a couple of days and try again.

Dad used a rabbit hutch that he had. I use my brooder built into the coop. If I have chicks in that brooder I hang a wire dog crate from the coop roof. Some people set a dog crate or whatever they have up on cinder blocks or bricks to get air under it.

 

[Pollmadoll]

I have two broody hens, one went broody a couple days ago, the other I discovered last night. I am going on vacation at the end of the month and I really don’t want anymore chickens. Not to mention my hens always hatch an abundance of roosters. I have a little side coop I use for them when they are broody, but I currently have three cockerels in there from my last broody hen. I have a few questions. For the hen that started sitting a few days ago, is it too late to take away her eggs? Are they already alive and growing? How can I break her and the other hen. Do they need to go into a cage? How long should it take to break them? Thanks in advance!

Can you not candle the eggs to see if they are viable?

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Can you not candle the eggs to see if they are viable?

I just use a flashlight and it’s not very good. Thankfully my friend is going to incubate and keep them! Now I just have to break my sweet broody hens.