SHE'S BACK

[City Farmer Jim]

We have a BROODY hen(same one) AGAIN. We had a broody hen/pullet 3-4 weeks ago and isolated her for about 4 days. Let her out and she was fine and as a matter of fact she took over her flock from the head hen. So we thought GREAT she's back and laying eggs, all is good. Then we turned the last 3 chicks out to the flock and BAM she goes broody. The rest of the egg laying girls are laying eggs as normal...here's the question, what if we just let her work out..will she or is this going to be how she is the rest of her days ?

 

[50-45-1]

Likely her tendancy for broodiness is strong and she may always do this.
If you have no desire for more chickens, best to break her. Brooding takes a toll on a hens health.
If you would not be apposed to more chicks there a couple ways to work it.
1. You could find and give her some fertle eggs to hatch. In this case i would recomend a broody hutch of her own separated and confined in her own space where she will not be bothered constantly by other hens laying fresh eggs with hers. Warning..some of these chicks will be roosters that you will have to deal with later.
2. Let her set on golf balls for about 3 weeks then get some day old chicks and at night time slip them under her. You could order or pick female chicks in this way and skip the rooster problem.
I have had hens that like clockwork go broody all summer if i let them, other hens of mine only tried it once. Depends on the personality and genetic makeup of your hen.
Good luck!

 

[City Farmer Jim]

No more chicks right now at least. I guess my question is will broody pass on it's own or do we have to break her of the habit every time? We have an isolation cage but just wondering if there is a better way ?

 

[50-45-1]

it is doubtfull it will pass on its own. She could be broody all summer waiting for chicks.
Best to break her.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Do you have a perferd method? Last time we "jailed her" in a 20" x 30" bunny cage 24" off the ground.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

No more chicks right now at least. I guess my question is will broody pass on it's own or do we have to break her of the habit every time? We have an isolation cage but just wondering if there is a better way ?

Maybe give her just one or two chicks so she isn't wasting her attempts.
If you really don't want chicks, try to break her in ways that aren't too uncomfortable. Good luck! If all else fails, try frozen peas.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

We are over our coop limit now ..10 in a 4' x 8' coop. We hate being "mean" to one of our girls and putting her in chicken "jail"

 

[TheOddOneOut]

We are over our coop limit now ..10 in a 4' x 8' coop. We hate being "mean" to one of our girls and putting her in chicken "jail"

 

[humblehillsfarm]

We are over our coop limit now ..10 in a 4' x 8' coop. We hate being "mean" to one of our girls and putting her in chicken "jail"

I'm in a similar position to you: over capacity with a hen prone to broodiness. I would have to try to break her of it! This time around I put three eggs under her and they hatched but that just put me at four over my coop limit! Wheweee. I need to just buy a second house just for chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

We hate being "mean" to one of our girls and putting her in chicken "jail"

Don't think of it as being mean, think of it as tough love. If she sits with no payoff, she can lose weight, lose feather condition, be more prone to parasites, all for nothing. IMO it's kinder to break them if you have no intention of hatching.