Number of eggs to smoke out a broody?

[Teach97]

I have hens that will sit on one..sit on none....I evenhave a hen that tries to sit on other hens when they are laying...that never goes good...

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Yep. The thing to watch for is staying on the nest and pissy behavior- if she puffs up, snarls and calls you bad names? THAT'S when you gather some eggs, stick them under her and

The nastier she is the better. I recommend leather gloves from then on.

 

[Qi Chicken]

We have 4 nest boxes and they lay eggs in all of them, they don't have a favorite box. Our broody, who has been broody for at least 4 months is often sitting in the box without any eggs in it at all. She is just broody crazy. Poor thing is absolutely naked on her tummy.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
You might want to think about breaking her broodiness. If you can, put her in a cage with food and water but NO nesting material for several days to a week. Too long a time of broodiness can be detrimental to a hen's health. Normal brooding time is 21 days or so. Four months is way past the healthy limit.

What breed is she?

 

[dldolan]

Quote:
Two of my hens are Cochins, and they have each been broody TWICE in the last two months. Gave up and gave one some BCM eggs, and now have 4 chicks. Need to find something for the other, who is being driven crazy by the chicks peeping, she wants babies so badly!

 

[jammi]

I have a silver wyandotte that must be very hormonal as she has spent more time sitting on nothing than actually laying eggs. Each time it seems to go on for weeks and each time she picks a different spot. Also have a RIR who is exactly the same age and has not gone broody once, but does have periods of no egg laying, sometimes co-inciding with the wyandottes broodiness, they are best mates so wonder if they are affected emotionally.

Here are the two of them hanging out on my outdoor sofa.