Need help breaking broody hen!

[TheCrazyClucker]

My Orloff hen is broody,and has been for the past four weeks. I've tried dunking her in a bucket of water,but she's still broody. My mom doesn't want to seperate her from the flock,either. What do we do? Will she just come out of it on her own? Thanks!

 

[shadow rabbit10]

My chickens always go broody. I usually just let them snap out of it on their own though. They will, but it can take a few weeks.

 

[Megan Amber]

Lol, I'll have to try the water trick! I either move them to unfamiliar surroundings, put them in a small cage with constant lighting, that helps to force their body to lay eggs again and therefore breaking the broodiness. Or I give them eggs. Hope this helps some.

 

[chickenoverlord]

Try putting a one gallon zip lock bag FULL of ice cubes under her, and change regularly so it's always really cold. You should probably wrap the bag in a towel, so she doesn't puncture it. Good luck!

 

[JackE]

Get a wire bottomed cage and put the broody in it. You need a wire bottomed cage, so cooler air will circulate under the hen. Make sure you elevate the cage up a foot or so off the ground, again so cooler air will circulate under her. You should, I do, keep the broody buster(Wire cage), in the coop, so the others can see her, and won't want to go through the pecking order nonsense when she is released. You can put a little feed dish and water in there with her, but NO bedding. Usually I have found that it takes on average three days for them to get over the broodiness. But being yours has been broody for so long, she may have to stay in there for five or six days. Goodluck with her.
Jack

 

[Tanith BHH]

My bantam went broody not long ago. She was very broody. I was planning on putting my two bantams in the large fowl run anyway, and from the stress of it she hasn't tried going broody again since. I think it was just stress that stopped her. But what about placing her in a wire-floored cage in the coop/run where she is now? It's not exactly separating her completly from the flock. Hope this helps. Never knew about dunking them in water, I'll bare that in mind if they go brooody again.
I hope this helps.

Tani

 

[monitagabel]

Get a wire bottomed cage and put the broody in it. You need a wire bottomed cage, so cooler air will circulate under the hen. Make sure you elevate the cage up a foot or so off the ground, again so cooler air will circulate under her. You should, I do, keep the broody buster(Wire cage), in the coop, so the others can see her, and won't want to go through the pecking order nonsense when she is released. You can put a little feed dish and water in there with her, but NO bedding. Usually I have found that it takes on average three days for them to get over the broodiness. But being yours has been broody for so long, she may have to stay in there for five or six days. Goodluck with her.
Jack

I agree...... this works really well. it will only take a few days for her to get over her broodiness.

 

[xshoshin]

So, I'm wondering...since I currently have a broody Cochin...is there a real problem just letting them be broody? Is it unhealthy? I don't mind if she doesn't lay for a while and we have another nest box for the rest of the flock. I'm inclined to just let her have her little fantasy unless its detrimental to her well-being. What say the experts?

 

[foreverhome]

My little Silkie (2#?) was broody for several weeks. One day my big, tough Maine Coon-ish cat (10#) was strolling by and she decided to chase and corner him. He cringed and acted utterly submissive. Soon after that she snuck up on him and pulled his tail. He took off as fast as he could. Now she struts back and forth looking at the other cats, "Any of you others want a piece of me?! "

Not broody anymore!

 

[Tanith BHH]

So, I'm wondering...since I currently have a broody Cochin...is there a real problem just letting them be broody? Is it unhealthy? I don't mind if she doesn't lay for a while and we have another nest box for the rest of the flock. I'm inclined to just let her have her little fantasy unless its detrimental to her well-being. What say the experts?

I'm no expert, but my hen lost weight rapidly, even though I took her out to eat and drink twice a day, her comb went pale and when I managed to break her she seemed to have cramp in her legs, she was very weak and could hardly walk. She was only in there for a little over three weeks, and she had no intention of stopping. I think broodies who are not quite so serious about is as my Nutmeg would be OK though, but I heard of a hen who starved when she went broody..