Pacing hen

[linhawk]

My hen was broody. This time she refused the baby chicks, she has accepted them before. So to break her brood I sprinkled water on her. Didn't work so I went in the coop at night and took her off the nest and put her on a perch. Seemed to work. A few days later she squatted. Now she is acting nervous and pacing. I let them all out into the yard. She picked a spot and scooped it out. I blocked it. I tried putting her in the pen alone hoping she would go lay an egg in the coop. Hate to see her this way. Any ideas what it is and what to do?

 

[Latestarter]

No idea what gave you the impression that sprinkling water on her would break her broodiness... Simply putting her on roost at night is about useless as well for a true brooding hen.

There are many threads on this site that explain how to break a broody hen. Virtually all point out that you have to lower the hen's chest/stomach area body temperature. Typically done by confining in a hardware cloth bottomed cage, elevated off the ground, with no bedding, for up to a week or more. Others use a frozen water bottle for her to squat on.

 

[Hensndoes]

How long was she broody when you offered her chicks? How old were the chicks? If she's accepted them before I would think she would have again... but I'm not a chicken .

 

[peeper89]

My hen was broody. This time she refused the baby chicks, she has accepted them before. So to break her brood I sprinkled water on her. Didn't work so I went in the coop at night and took her off the nest and put her on a perch. Seemed to work. A few days later she squatted. Now she is acting nervous and pacing. I let them all out into the yard. She picked a spot and scooped it out. I blocked it. I tried putting her in the pen alone hoping she would go lay an egg in the coop. Hate to see her this way. Any ideas what it is and what to do?

what this mean? scoop

 

[aart]

what this mean? scoop

Probably means she scratched out a 'nest'.

 

[linhawk]

No idea what gave you the impression that sprinkling water on her would break her broodiness... Simply putting her on roost at night is about useless as well for a true brooding hen.

There are many threads on this site that explain how to break a broody hen. Virtually all point out that you have to lower the hen's chest/stomach area body temperature. Typically done by confining in a hardware cloth bottomed cage, elevated off the ground, with no bedding, for up to a week or more. Others use a frozen water bottle for her to squat on.

 

[linhawk]

She didn't much like the water or me putting her on the perch. But it got her attention.
It worked. The next day after my post she laid and egg and stopped pacing.

 

[linhawk]

How long was she broody when you offered her chicks? How old were the chicks? If she's accepted them before I would think she would have again... but I'm not a chicken .

It was only 18 days. But I have done that before. The Copper Marans and blk Australorps were available and had to strike while the iron was hot. ;-)
I had never broken a brood before but it worked. My own mind gave me the idea. Of course now I am raising them. ;-)

 

[linhawk]

what this mean? scoop

she sco

Probably means she scratched out a 'nest'.

Probably means she scratched out a 'nest'.

yes, that is what I meant

 

[peeper89]

The next day after my post she laid and egg and stopped pacing.

she OK!
laying egg stopped pacing then she was havin hard time laying egg!