it's a mad mad mad mad hen

[mamabigbird]

When I went out at noon to let the hens out to free range Matilda was sitting on the nest so I put off gathering the eggs until later.
Well I just went out to turn on their light and pick up the eggs and she was still on there flattened out and growling.
NOOOOOO! Not a broody! Came back and looked it up on BYC. We have no roosters so this just can't work.
Based on info I read here I put on a long-sleeved jacket and heavy gloves and went out to remove her from the nest and collect the eggs.
It isn't that easy to move a ticked off hen and she put up a real fight. I was eventually victorious and put her on the roost and gathered the eggs.
It's been about twenty minutes and she is still swearing and squawking out there.
Am I going to have to do this every day for weeks? She's an older hen and hasn't gone broody on me before.
She did raise a few clutches at her last home, but has never gone broody here.
I feel bad to have to upset her like that.

 

[sourland]

OK, just go out and buy her some fertile eggs.

That will make her happy.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Agreed!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
x 3

 

[sourland]

Or:

-------ad infinitum

 

[Cass]

Quote:
X2

AND you get more chicks to play with in the spring....spring IS coming, isn't it?

 

[mamabigbird]

I don't want to run the risk of getting a rooster out of the batch so that's not an option. And the coop is too small to create a separate nursery.
I guess I'll have to wait her out. Sigh.

 

[bwyatt]

Put her in a wire bottom pen or cage of her own off the ground with food and water for a few days. That will break her broodiness.

Bill

 

[BuzzinBee]

Quote:
I ask myself this very question daily

Good luck with the broody hen!