My Broody Hen is nasty

[Kaia]

Hi, I am not sure what I should do. My broody hen attacked me when I tried to move her. She has been refusing to come out of the coop so I picked her up and put her out side. She ate in a frenzy then hurried back inside the coop. When I tried to move her to clean the coop she grabbed my arm with her talons and pecked through 2 layers of clothing. She pecked my hand so hard it was bleeding. We don't have any roosters. I just have 4 hens total. Is there anything I can do?? Should I just leave her alone?

Thanks

 

[cypressdrake]

I have several bossy hens. I show them who's boss. If you let them bully you, they'll continue.

Just show her who's boss and put her out, and lock her out daily for 3 days, and she'll get her mind straight.

 

[Kaia]

Thank you, I will give it a try.

 

[donrae]

Her behavior is normal for a broody hen. In her tiny birdbrain you're threatening the lives of her offspring.

If you don't have a rooster and don't want chicks now, you should break her. The best way is putting her in a wire cage, off the ground so air flows underneath her. Give her food and water and a roost if you want, but no nesting area. It usually takes 3-5 days to break, then it's variable how long it will take to have her start laying again.

 

[appps]

I have one that pecks us, so I just always put garden gloves on or use a towel to grab her off the nest.

If you can keep her off the nest for about 3 days 24 hrs a day she should get over it. Occasionally it may take a day or two longer but 95% of the time mine forget about it after 3 days of being kept off.

You don't want to just leave her there as one they don't eat and drink as much while broody and without eggs to hatch and tell them its time to stop can go on much longer than normal.
And two she isn't laying while broody so your egg production will be down.

 

[dorothymcd]

She wants to be a mommy..give her some hatching eggs and leave her alone. put food and water near her if she refuses to come out to eat or drink. the sooner she hatches eggs the sooner she will go back to normal. my hen was sitting on her unfertilized eggs for 2 months so one day when she can out to eat some mealworm treats i did the old egg switcharoo with some fertile ones i got, she hatched them had her mommy moment and was fine..