I think my hen has gone broodie. How do I help her?

[cul8er]

For the past 3 days my young hen has not wanted to get out of her nesting box. I have to remove her & keep her out. She has not layed in 2 days. We are experincing 100 degree days since all this began. I don't know if this has any baring on this at all. What if ne thing can I do? Thank you 4 ne help.

 

[Dar]

dont do anything just leave her... make sure she has access to food and water... and when she is hungry she will eat and when she is thirsty she will drink...

you can try and break the broody cycle but its a mixed bag of opinions on that subject .. I personally dont care if they do the broody thing...i laugh at them..they make funny noises when hey are broody and you try and touch them

 

[sussexgal]

I'm not sure what you're asking.... do you want to break her broodiness? If so, good luck to to you. Pull her out of the nesting box as often as you can. The other way requires a rooster and confinement. The rooster technique breaks them within a few days. Pulling them out of the nesting box can take considerably longer.....

Is it cooler in the nesting box by any chance? 100 degrees is stressful on the birds - she may just be trying to keep cool.... ?

 

[Judy]

If you don't want her to hatch any eggs or raise baby chicks, I would try to break her, myself. I had one that stayed broody for 3 months and lost a lot of weight. They can actually starve, or at least get in poor condition. You can keep taking her out of the nest or block it off. Or, you can put her in a wire cage propped so that there is air flow to her bottom. Give food and water, of course, but no nesting materials at all. This should break the broodiness in 2 or 3 days.

If you let her set with nothing to hatch, I would not do so for longer than 3 weeks.

 

[cul8er]

It's hotter in the hen house. I put a fan down there for a while but since I took her out & shut the door I put the fan away. All she (RIR) wants is to sit in her nesting box. I have 1 Roo & her, this is my yard crew. Should I keep her out for a few days?

 

[princess araucana]

I heard if you place an ice pack under her it will change her internal temperature which stops the broody hormones.

Also seems like a great way to cool off, think I might try it myself!!!