Just started laying, now seems broody

[Cheekygreek]

My hens started laying 3 or 4 weeks ago. One of the easter eggers appears to have gone broody. For the last 4 or 5 days she stays on the nest day and night. I finally picked her up and put her out to free range. She "growls" she sees anyone but she hasn't been mean when I take the eggs from her. She seems to not be laying either. What should I do? Just let it play out? Find someone with fertile eggs? Keep picking her up?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You could leave her, she's gonna sit there a while, if you want more chicks you could put her to work if she seems reliable and hatch some, and if she's broody that quickly she might go broody every month, I've had those, you will need to put her somewhere where she can't sit down tight and heat up, I have a box where they can only perch, and another with a young rooster who makes them think better, others use a wire cage, I also have penned them directly on a bare concrete floor. If you catch them early you can break them in three days, longer and it takes five days, but it can take weeks to lay again, and if she's a repeat broody she will lay ten or so eggs and go broody again.

 

[katssmilin]

I have a mixed breed chicken that is doing the same thing. She sits in the nesting box for hours. Last night she slept there. How do you break them? She just started laying and has given maybe 3 eggs. I have 1 other hen that just started laying at the same time (3 weeks ago). I know they have some barred rock in them but the lady I got them from had many different roosters and hens and kept them all together. I don't have any roosters and purchased these when they were about 6-7 weeks old. The eggs I've gotten so far are small tan eggs. Will them going broody this young hurt them?

 

[mmmyyykkkeee]

Now I'm jealous! I've been wanting my girls to go broody because I love watching hens raising their chicks but it seems I have no luck. One of my hens tried to go broody but she was a quitter.

Anyways, I think the suggestions above are all good. You need to decide whether you want chicks or just eggs. Good luck!