One broody hen is ruining everything!

[josephrose]

3 Orpingtons (2 buff, 1 blue). Buffs are laying, Blue has not.

Last week our one Buff went broody. Stopped laying, started trying to stay in the nest box all day, etc.

Because she's been hogging the nest box all day, our other Buff stopped laying. I added a second nest box that is identical in every way to the first, and they don't want anything to do with it.

I've just been locking them out of the coop all day. Tonight I checked on them shortly after they went back in for the night, and all 3 were in one nest box! Not on the roost bar, not even spread across 2 boxes, but in one friggin' nest box. They're just following what the dumb broody one is doing now!

So, 1 broody hen has caused both layers to stop laying, and all 3 to try and sleep in the nest rather than on the roost. What can I do!?


Note: I can get the other buff to lay by locking her in for a while during the day, while the other 2 are locked out. But really, I'm not looking to go through this every day!

 

[nbenevento]

Break the broody. Do a search for breaking a broody unless you want her to hatch her eggs, if you have a rooster but I am thinking you don't. Close off the nest boxes at dusk and open them first thing in the morning.