Most broody hen

[botanicalbliss]

I have been taking the eggs. I even pull her out of the nest and carry her over to the food and water but she goes back and lays another egg to sit on.

 

[junebuggena]

The longer a hen broods, the more condition she will loose. Broodies barely eat or drink, so letting them brood longer than it takes to incubate an egg is not good for their health.

 

[botanicalbliss]

I'm not letting her incubate. Will she stop eventually? I even tried giving her chicks but she wasn't interested in them.

 

[botanicalbliss]

She is a Silkie BTW if that changes anything advice wise

 

[junebuggena]

I'm not letting her incubate. Will she stop eventually? I even tried giving her chicks but she wasn't interested in them.

A hen has to be broody for at least 2 weeks before they will adopt chicks. If she's been broody for longer than 4 weeks, it's unlikely that she will come out of it on her own. Some people find the idea of a cage cruel, but it really isn't any different than having her sit in a nest all day and night. And it works every time, even with the most determined hens.

 

[bobbi-j]

P even with the most determined hens.

At first glance, I read that as, "even with the most DEMENTED hens"!

 

[junebuggena]

Well they kind of are...

 

[alexa009]

When we first showed our hens our 6 little baby chicks we had ordered online they didn't like them at all! It was like they were scared of them. They acted like they have never seen a chick in their life! They would run and yell. When the chicks turned about 3 weeks then the hens would just start attacking them. I don't know why.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Pulling the hens off nest and setting on ground multiple times in a day works sometimes. The sooner you catch them brooding the easier it is to break them. A confined area without ability to nest for 3 or 4 days always works. I don't have the wire dog kennel anymore so put the brooding hens in our grow out pen and close that coop door so they've nowhere to nest. Put them in the small coop at night so it's a quick take out of coop and close door in morning.

 

[botanicalbliss]

I've been taking her off the nest. I take any eggs. Then I carry her over to food and water and put out treats. Hopefully this works.