Mass broody breaking

[Lazy Farmer]

I did think of this but we have 30 hens and if I was to remove the boxes (easy as they are portable), will the other hens just lay wherever?

Remove the broody birds from population if possible then.
I have 3 hardcore broody birds right now. I gave in and set 8 eggs under 2 of them but put one in broody jail. Broody jail in an area which contains only a perch/food/water. No nest box. I have had hardcore broody hens die from dehydration and nutritional reasons. The reason I placed only one in broody jail, because when I removed her from the box, her poop came out as large a horse pile of poop. Meaning she was shutting down and controlling all of her body functions to stay there for the long haul. The 2 I let sit on eggs, I've seen them occasionally up and eating. The one in jail just hibernates like a bear.
If you have access to separate quarters, I would move the undesired broody's there.

 

[Ahavati]

Remove the broody birds from population if possible then.
I have 3 hardcore broody birds right now. I gave in and set 8 eggs under 2 of them but put one in broody jail. Broody jail in an area which contains only a perch/food/water. No nest box. I have had hardcore broody hens die from dehydration and nutritional reasons. The reason I placed only one in broody jail, because when I removed her from the box, here poop came out as large a horse pile of poop. Meaning she was shutting down and controlling all of her body functions to stay there for the long haul. The 2 I let sit on eggs, I've seen them occasionally up and eating. The one in jail just hibernates like a bear.
If you have access to separate quarters, I would move the undesired broody's there.

I was just reading about this. We have an extra pen/cage I can put them in for a bit.