Is she broody?

[Annalyse]

Do you have other hens which are currently laying? The usual issue is, how to give them nest access while keeping the broody out. So caging them solves that, and also prevents them from trying to set somewhere else.

Some people do break broodies by going out frequently and kicking them off the nest, but it takes longer and can be less reliable depending on how frequently you can go out there.

Well shes all ready at the bottom of the pecking order so putting her in a cage will just make it worse in my opinion. She also gets sad and shell be stressed if she cant get out if I put her with the flock. How bad is it for her to be broody and not have babies? Can i give her some fake eggs to speed up the process idk how this works lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

She also gets sad and shell be stressed if she cant get out if I put her with the flock. How bad is it for her to be broody and not have babies? Can i give her some fake eggs to speed up the process idk how this works lol

Well if she's broody she won't be out with the flock anyways, for about 3 weeks. Compared to breaking with a cage which can be done in 2-3 days in most cases, and then they're free to rejoin the others.

Generally it's ok to leave them broody (some people don't like breaking them), but they'll lose some weight and some overall body condition. In very extreme cases they can die from losing too much weight but that's unusual.

Fake eggs won't speed anything up, it just reinforces she's doing the right thing and she'll want to sit on them and protect them.

 

[Painted Calls]

If you do not want to let her hatch, you need to break her. Being broody is hard on them when they are doing it for a purpose (hatching eggs). Letting them stay broody for no reason at all is ridiculous.

I do not have Silkies, but I know that they can be just as bad as Bantam Cochins. I have had pullets and hens that would literally sit until they died. If they are hatching, they typically break out of it once the chicks hatch. When there are no chicks hatching, there is nothing to tell them "Okay, your job is done." Therefore they can and will sit until they are nothing but skin and bones.

If you don't plan on letting her hatch eggs, you need to break her. I use a fold up wire dog crate with HC on the bottom. Set it up on blocks/2x4's so there's about 8-12" beneath the bottom of the crate and the floor/ground. Setting her up in the coop would be ideal. If there isn't enough room, the run works good too. Just make sure she is sheltered from the elements.

Give her food and water for her jail and toss her in. Leave her there for 2-3 days. Once she seems like she's acting a bit less broody (less puffed up, less growly/screechy, no Cluck-cluck-cluck bomb noises), try letting her out for a bit. Watch her. If she goes back to the nest box - straight back into the slammer she goes. Try again in another 2 days. Keep this up until she pays the nest box no mind.

Here is my "in a hurry" setup.

 

[Annalyse]

Thank you. I'm planning on checking her rn maybe get her up and out of the coop. And at night I'll place her on the roost hopefully she doesnt jump down. Can I get her to eat and drink?

 

[Chickenman MAN]

She

Thank you. I'm planning on checking her rn maybe get her up and out of the coop. And at night I'll place her on the roost hopefully she doesnt jump down. Can I get her to eat and drink?

She's probably broody. Different hens are harder to break than others. Two of my hens have gone 1/2 broody, and it was instantly solved by removing their eggs.

I'd try removing the eggs as quickly as possible (and any new ones). Putting her in the run and seeing what she does. If she goes back in the nesting box I'd advise the cage in the run thing already advised...she should eat and drink...most broody hens only go out 1-2 times a day to eat, drink and poo. It may just be that you aren't seeing her doing it. Good luck!


Also, personally for the cage I'd put cardboard on the bottom with bedding... just so her feet don't get sore

 

[Annalyse]

She

She's probably broody. Different hens are harder to break than others. Two of my hens have gone 1/2 broody, and it was instantly solved by removing their eggs.

I'd try removing the eggs as quickly as possible (and any new ones). Putting her in the run and seeing what she does. If she goes back in the nesting box I'd advise the cage in the run thing already advised...she should eat and drink...most broody hens only go out 1-2 times a day to eat, drink and poo. It may just be that you aren't seeing her doing it. Good luck!


Also, personally for the cage I'd put cardboard on the bottom with bedding... just so her feet don't get sore

thank you. I have a dog cage from a family member but we only use it for her specifically when I bring her inside its small though so I may get a bigger one. Im going out in a little bit to see if she lai any eggs an if she didn't can I pick her up and put her in the run?

 

[Chickenman MAN]

thank you. I have a dog cage from a family member but we only use it for her specifically when I bring her inside its small though so I may get a bigger one. Im going out in a little bit to see if she lai any eggs an if she didn't can I pick her up and put her in the run?

If she's still sitting in the nesting box I'd take all the eggs out and nudge her into the run. This worked for my hens. If she goes back in I'd put her in the cage.

 

[Painted Calls]

You can try all that, but the point behind using the crate, is lowering their body temperature. Not removing the nest box.

Keeping them away from the nest box (for a serial type broody) does nothing.

 

[Annalyse]

If she's still sitting in the nesting box I'd take all the eggs out and nudge her into the run. This worked for my hens. If she goes back in I'd put her in the cage.

she took one of the eggs from the nesting box (not hers) and sat by the box on it but wasn't in it. I took the egg and put her in the run and she freaked out confused ut then started drinking water. Is it normal for them not to act the same when broosy? because she was a little freaked out when i got her.

 

[Chickenman MAN]

Ye

she took one of the eggs from the nesting box (not hers) and sat by the box on it but wasn't in it. I took the egg and put her in the run and she freaked out confused ut then started drinking water. Is it normal for them not to act the same when broosy? because she was a little freaked out when i got her.

Yeah, when broody hens want to hatch and protect their eggs. So she will freak if it is moved. Is she out and about now? Have you picked up all the eggs? Make sure to do this regularly.