Layer Box Problem

[andreajoan]

A few months ago one our hens went broody and took over a box. Ever since our hens refuse to lay back in the box and lay in a far corner. We have tried fake eggs, real eggs, golf balls and blocking the other corner. Ideas?
BTW, we don't have a rooster so nothing came of it but now she is sitting on them in another spot and won't stop being broody. What do we do about that?

 

[B-Goock]

Clean it out & check for mites.
Do you have other nests or just one?
You have a pic?

 

[Farmchickstogo]

A few months ago one our hens went broody and took over a box. Ever since our hens refuse to lay back in the box and lay in a far corner. We have tried fake eggs, real eggs, golf balls and blocking the other corner. Ideas?
BTW, we don't have a rooster so nothing came of it but now she is sitting on them in another spot and won't stop being broody. What do we do about that?

Whenever I have a stubborn broody, I lock her outside for the day and usually then she remembers how much fun playing outside is.

but usually if it doesn’t work they usually break on their own after 2-3 months.

 

[Mosey2003]

I'm having nestbox avoidance issues myself, so not much help there.

But you can break your broody and get her back to normal life very easily and fairly quickly. I'm firmly in the camp of always breaking them because I don't want them hatching eggs, so there's no point to leave them eating and drinking less for ultimately no purpose.

Get yourself a wire crate. Take the plastic pan out and cut a piece of 1/2" hardware cloth wire and zip tie it to the bottom bars of the crate. Get a couple cinderblocks or sawhorses of something and put the crate on them so that it sits off the floor and air can flow through. Add food and water and put the hen in, with no bedding, for three days minimum. If she still seems a little puffy after three days, give her a couple more. Most all of them will break this way, it gets cooler air to their abdomen and that breaks the hormone cycle.