Managing a broody hen?

[ironsightfarm]

I have my first broody hen and I'm not too sure how to manage her!

I move her out of the nest box a few times a day, but she always makes her way back. Out of our 4 nest boxes the flock refuses to use 2 of them, so with 12 hens laying throughout the day I'm not sure that blocking off nest boxes will be an option. I'm really trying to avoid putting her in "broody jail" as I'm concerned it will just cause more stress!

If she is eating and drinking, and leaving the nest box occasionally, will this eventually taper off on it's own? I do have fertilized eggs available for her to sit on for a friend if the best option is giving her a clutch.

Thanks in advance for any help (as always!)...

 

[HappyClucker7]

If you have eggs and you think she'll be a good mom, then I would give her the eggs. There really is nothing cuter than seeing a hen raising chicks.
If you don't want to do this, you could try putting a water bottle filled with frozen water under her. She won't want to sit in the nest anymore.

 

[Painted Calls]

In my experience, the only way to break a broody is to give her eggs or put her in jail.

You can block off nest boxes all day long. She will find another place to brood. If you want her broken, her body temp needs to come down.

 

[JaeG]

It's entirely up to you whether you let her hatch or not. After 4-6 weeks a hen will realise nothing is going to hatch under her and goes back to normal, does a mini molt and starts laying again. I never break my girls because I don't see the point when it won't be long before they go broody again, and we get enough eggs that one or two less doesn't impact us.

If you put eggs in the boxes they don't like to lay in then you may find they swap to laying there (chickens like to follow the flock, so if someone else is 'laying' there then that must be the best place to deposit eggs).

 

[City Farmer Jim]

I agree with the above statement, its totally up to you BUT my experience has been get her in chicken jail as soon as possible and get the broodyness out of her. I have a Buff Orpington that has been broody twice and has kept the coop in real tremolo and disrupted everyone's laying...when that happens I don't hesitate and put her in "chicken jail"

 

[Peppercorngal]

I had 4, yes count them, 4 broodys all at the same time. I used permanent marker and gave them all one or two eggs to sit on. When they would get up and other hens would lay in the box I could identify the unmarked egg and take it. I always leave them where they are until the second day after chicks hatch. (they always sit in the highest boxes!) Then when I move them Mom is "attached" and won't leave them. I don't fight and try to break them from being broody, its hormonal! I let nature take it's course. Good Luck!

 

[ironsightfarm]

Thank you!

I can try a freezer pack under her to see if that works, if not I'm leaning towards giving her some eggs for that baby fever

 

[ironsightfarm]

It's entirely up to you whether you let her hatch or not. After 4-6 weeks a hen will realise nothing is going to hatch under her and goes back to normal, does a mini molt and starts laying again. I never break my girls because I don't see the point when it won't be long before they go broody again, and we get enough eggs that one or two l

If you put eggs in the boxes they don't like to lay in then you may find they swap to laying there (chickens like to follow the flock, so if someone else is 'laying' there then that must be the best place to deposit eggs).

This is all really great to know!

 

[ironsightfarm]

I had 4, yes count them, 4 broodys all at the same time. I used permanent marker and gave them all one or two eggs to sit on. When they would get up and other hens would lay in the box I could identify the unmarked egg and take it. I always leave them where they are until the second day after chicks hatch. (they always sit in the highest boxes!) Then when I move them Mom is "attached" and won't leave them. I don't fight and try to break them from being broody, its hormonal! I let nature take it's course. Good Luck!

View attachment 2274107

4?! Just figuring our how to deal with one is enough for me

 

[rosemarythyme]

IMO less stressful to break them if you're not going to hatch. Broodies can be behavioral nightmares for the rest of the flock, causing a lot of unrest. And for the broody herself, she'll put stress on her body in order to sit long enough to hatch, so I see no reason to do that to a hen when babies won't be forthcoming.

IF you're going to hatch, make sure to have a plans, plans, plans - if the mama doesn't take care of the chicks, are you prepared to brood them yourself? Do you have room for more chickens? What will you do with males?