I have a broody hen that sat on the nest for 26 days and nothing happened. I threw the eggs away, the nest was disgusting and the eggs were rotten. She still wants to sit. I have golf balls in the coop to show the girls where to lay, she is now siting on them and I am collecting all the eggs everyday with the hopes that she will give up. Is this mean?
I'd put her in a wire bottomed or metal bottomed cage (with food and water) to try to break her up. It's not good for them to sit for long periods of time...
My Lacy is trying to set again after hatching her babies. They are 9 weeks old. I just take any eggs she is on and pick her up and carry her around for a few minutes and then let her down outside with the others. I do this every day. Ellie
Had the same problem. I had four nests and 5 broodies. After a month only one egg hatched and the mothers killed it. After that I had had enough of the stench that was coming from the nests and cleaned them all out. One or two hens still sit in the nesting boxes especially when someone drops an egg in there. But I just go in there periodically and snatch the eggs out right from under the hen. They hate it and try to bite me but I already supplemented my losses by purchasing new chicks via mail and Fur and Feather Swaps so I don't really need the hens to be broody anymore.
Thanks for the reassurance!! I have been picking her up and taking her to the food and water so I can collect the eggs. She wanders around for a bit, then goes back and sits on the golf balls, LOL I agree, It was the stench that made me toss the egs and clean out the box!
I would take the golf-balls out of the nest as well. Just until you break her of being broody. Your chickens "shouldn't" forget where to lay eggs if the golfball goes missing for a few days. -Kim
Lots of breeds have had the broody bred out of them you are lucky to have that old time instinct still in them. Ok I'll answer your question. Stealing is not cruel its against the law!