OK to wait out a broody hen?

[robren]

Hi All My first post and any help would be appreciated. I have a buff orp that has sat on the nest (in a pancake position) and coos for the past 2 days.Picked her up and put her in the run with the others and she scratched and drank etc so I think she's entering the "broody zone". We don't have a roo so the eggs are not fertile. My question is : should I just leave her be or is there some physical or psychological issues to be concerned with
Thanks!!!

 

[paddock36]

I'm no expert but I don't think there's any psychological issues that I'm aware of. As far as physical she may get a little thinner because she does not eat as much. If she is going broody have you thought about getting some fertile eggs to put under her to hatch. You can't get an easier incubator than that. Just an idea. Otherwise I would try to break her broodyness.

 

[robren]

Thanks for the reply Paddock. Breaking up the broodiness is done best by moving her for a couple days to isolation?

 

[Pinky]

Quote:
That should do it

 

[farmerChef]

if you can, put her in a wire bottom cage without a nest. It might help 'cool her down' faster. I think people have even posted that they have to put little fans under some of theirs. I currenlty have one I'm trying to break, she's trying to brood her food bowl!!

I already have 1 broody.

 

[robren]

A little fan........really??? I just got a visual of that Marilyn Monroe poster. HA!:

 

[farmerChef]

Yeah, I can;t remember where I saw it, maybe you can search the forum. You would want to out of the way of dropping poo though,

that'd be one nasty fan.

 

[teach1rusl]

If she's just entertaining the idea of going broody, simply booting her off the nest a few days straight will most likely solve your problem - at least it worked for my light sussex, who was even to the point of growling at me from her nest. But after removing her just a few times, it's like she just forgot about trying to go broody.
I've also done the "wait her out" thing with my GLW (last year). If you do that, you'll still want to boot her off the nest 2X a day if possible to encourage eating, drinking and pooing so she doesn't lose too much weight (which she still will). I had to break that girl after about a month - she was a die-hard broody.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Each hen seems to have her own component of broody behaviors, some are easier to break of their broodiness than others. And some will go broody again more often than others. Buff Orps are known for being a broody breed, this hen may need more serious intervention. Or some fertile eggs to hatch.

I don't think it's ideal to let a hen continue to set on nothing for weeks at a time, either break her spell or give her eggs to set. Start by just lifting her off the nest & carrying her far out in the yard with her free-ranging friends, give her some tempting treats to eat and help her forget. If she continues to return to the nest, you may need to isolate her in a Broody Buster cage for a few days, something without bedding and a wire bottom, set up so that air flows from underneath. A fan isn't really necessary.

 

[Wendy'sChicksRock]

Good luck with that...I have a silkie who's gone broody on me 3 times now.the first time I tried to break her didn't work.2nd time she sat for 4 weeks on nothing.well,sometimes my ee would get in the nest box and lay ON ToP of her and she would sit. On that egg untill I came and got it.soooo I finally gave in this time and gave her 3 EE eggs to hatch. Its been a week an I'm really anxious.....