Permanently Broody Hen --PLEASE HELP

[doodle doo]

I have a Brahma Cochin Hen that has been broody for over 3 months now. I initially put her in a separate cage with a wire bottom and no nesting material. Kept her there for about 5 days, but as soon as I let her out she went back to the main coop and back to brooding again. After 6 weeks of repeating this with no success, I gave in and got some duck eggs from a neighbor to put under her . The duck eggs hatched and she took care of them for a few days, but then began pecking at them so removed them from her. She has since returned to her nesting box and won't get off. I repeated the wire bottom cage again for a week, but no luck. I can't shut her out of the main coop during the day because it's also used by 8 other hens to lay eggs throughout the day.
Will she ever get over this? What else can I do to break her broody behavior?

She has lost weight and I'm worried about her.
She's a very friendly hen, used to follow me around and get on my lap.
Thanks,

doodle doo

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

You could try dunking her fanny in a bucket of cold water, that's my back up broody buster when the wire cage doesn't work. Dunk her, then put her back in the cage. I've only had 1 hen that's held out after I did both, so I just gave up and let her sit- but it sounds like that wont work for you. Hopefully a cold dunk will change her mind. Good luck!

 

[NovaAman]

Dunk her butt... Lol,

Start her on some game bird feed also to get her weight up.

 

[doodle doo]

Thanks Nikki, She's such a sweet hen I hate to traumatize her like that but it looks like I may have to dunk her and see what happens. I didn't know about putting her back in the wire bottom cage afterwards. It's in the upper 80s here today so she should dry out and warm back up quickly.

 

[doodle doo]

Thanks NovaAman. The cold water treatment seems to be the general consensus. I happen to have a bag of Flock Raiser I bought for ducklings she hatched. I'll give her some too. The ducklings are tripling in size every week, so I guess "Hawk Eye" (named her that because she has no comb or wattles) will bulk up too.

 

[bibblekit]

Hi, I know this is a very old thread but if you're still around doodledoo, I'd be interested to know what happened
to broody Hawkeye? Did she eventually give up?
I have a 2 y/o brahma, Bonny, who has been firmly broody since early July, every time I think she's loosing interest
she starts up again. I take her off several times a day, and at night & she eats before going back to the nest, I'm hoping that as summer ends soon she'll just give up when it gets colder.

 

[doodle doo]

Hi Bibblekit, Some of these hens must have an incredibly strong nesting instincts. Hawkeye finally snapped out of it in 2012, but did it again in 2013. Didn't last as long last year. Ironically, she is doing it again right now. Went broody about 10 weeks ago and showing no sign of snapping out of it. I had planned on placing her in another smaller coop with a wire floor, but it's been unbelieveably hot here lately. Most of the past 2 weeks averaged 105 F. I've been running around placing frozen 2 ltr bottles near her nest box and everywhere the remaining hens rest during the day. We finally got a break today, but it's supposed to heat back up again this weekend. I'm pretty sure I died and went to hell.
How is Bonny doing now? Still broody? At least she's eating before returning to the nest. Hawkeye's been drinking water when I take her off the nest, but haven't seen her eat (other than some sunflower seeds she just can't resist). If our heat wave ever ends long enough, I'll try her in the wire floored coop.

 

[bibblekit]

thanks for replying, I'm glad to hear Hawkeye did snap out of it eventually, that gives me hope!
Bonny is 2 1/2 & she's never been properly broody before. I was given her at 6mths by a breeder because she had
a cataract & couldn't be sold but was too sweet & cuddly not to save. Her eye became painful & she had an op
to remove it. She's been quite happy with one good eye but has seldom layed eggs & those were mostly thin/soft
or lashes. I reckon either whatever caused her cataract, or having the operation messed up her egg making equipment.
So I was really surprised when she went broody, I hope her "problems" arent going to stop her coming out of this.
It's been warm here for September but due to cool down this weekend so fingers crossed she'll realise it's too
late for chicks!

 

[doodle doo]

Here's another similarity between Hawkeye and Bonny. You said Bonny "has seldom layed eggs". Hawkeye lays very few eggs also. After she's layed about a half dozen eggs, she goes broody. She is also very friendly also and will allow me to hold her indefinitely. She lays her head on my chest when I hold or carry her. If we weren't on different continents, I'd wonder if they're related.

 

[bibblekit]

They are both a bit cooky I think! this is Bonny