Rooster & hens attacking a broody hen

[Goldnmine]

I have 8 hens and 1 roo, one of my girls has started acting broody (feathers ruffled and broody clucking) and every time she comes out of the coop my rooster and other hens chase her and will grab feathers out if they can get her, she pretty much runs back in the coop for a bit and same situation if she comes out. This is my first year with rooster and not sure if this is normal or not. Any tips or insight is appreciated.

 

[GodLovesU]

Is she actually trying to sit eggs?

 

[sourland]

Broody hens , beause of their change in demeanor, are frequently regarded as 'strangers' and can be attacked by flock mates. Make sure that she is getting enough to eat and drink. If she is not incubating eggs, you may want to break her broodiness.

 

[Goldnmine]

Is she actually trying to sit eggs?

She is sitting in the house because they are chasing her back in, but she has not actually started hatching a clutch.

 

[Goldnmine]

Broody hens , beause of their change in demeanor, are frequently regarded as 'strangers' and can be attacked by flock mates. Make sure that she is getting enough to eat and drink. If she is not incubating eggs, you may want to break her broodiness.

How do I break her of that? I have read put her bottom in cold water. I have only had one broody hen in my years of chickens and I just kept taking her off the nest and collecting eggs very frequently.

 

[sourland]

Lock her away from her nest site. Some use suspended wire mesh cages, but anything to keep here away from her nest site will eventually break her broodiness - for a while. I've had some hens go broody as much as six times in a year.