Poor hen is so agitated and sad

[nuchickontheblock]

We have one hen who persistently will develop a hidden nest - lay eggs in a specific hidey hole, but come out to free range, sleep at night on the roost etc. Then one day she will disappear. So Sunday we found her hidden nest with 8 eggs. we took them out and blocked up the area so she couldn't get back to it and kept her in the coop/run all day yesterday. Today when I let her out, she ran to where she was squeezing into her nesting area. She was making the most pitiful sounds and kept going around to try to find another way into the area all day.

I gave her a cold bath and tried to distract her with meal worms and other special treats, but she was not interested. Just kept running back to the area and hung out by where she had had her nest area all day - looking sad. We don't have a roo, so no fertilized eggs. We also at this time can't add any chicks (like giving her fertilized eggs or 1 day olds to set on).

My DH said that last time this happened it took a couple of days and then she forgot about it; but I feel so mean.
Poor little thing!

 

[Kimsfarm]

Give her some golf balls, some times that works or I have heard they sell fake eggs on the internet. I hate it when they get like that! That's why I have 30 or so babies because I let them hatch out......I should have taken my own advice.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Awww...poor girl

but I know how you feel.

 

[poseygrace]

She's broody. There are tons of posts on here about how to break a broody, just do a search and you'll find tons of helpful suggestions. Good luck!

 

[nuchickontheblock]

This poor hen goes broody every 2 months. I have broken her in the past - using cage, cold water treatment, etc. , sometimes it will work and other times she just will have to come out of it herself. I have another that is broody every 6 weeks, who is even more difficult to break.Wish I could just let them set some eggs. I should loan them out!

 

[klmclain1]

I have a hen (Amy) will only lay in one (a specific one) of our padded patio chairs! She's an excellent layer - so I just let her! All the rest are now laying in the boxes - but she holds out everyday until we let them out to freerange. Then she beelines to the chair and up she hops! Seems to me that if your hen was really "broody" she wouldn't be leaving every night to roost with the others. Maybe you just need to let her lay in her "spot" and collect it there every day!!

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
Ya know, you just may have a great idea there. I will bet a lot of people would want a broody hen if they are trying to hatch. Have a hen do all the work!

Good luck with your hen.