Should I shoo my broody off an empty nest?

Yup. Every time you go out, pick her up and take her off. Is she your first ever broody?

 

I'm dealing w/ my 1st broody. Been reading a few threads to find out more about it. I can't add to my mini flock, so hatching chicks isn't an option.

From what I'm gathering, the main problem is that I won't be getting as many eggs? Any other major problems? Is she at risk from not eating or drinking enough? So far, she still seems to go out a little during the day.

I'll try removing her from the nest as much as possible, and I'll try putting her on the roost tomorrow night after the others go to roost.

I don't know how much more drastic I'd want to go than that. What's worse? Traumatizing the hen a little to break her, or letting her go through the motions for nothing???

 

Sorry guys, I forgot about this thread!
Debo, yup, you have to really make sure she eats and drinks- a persistent broody can kill herself. Putting her on the roost at night is a good idea- I do that too.

Mystic Chix, wow, that was rotten luck with all those roos! The worst I've ever gotten was four roos to one hen in one set.

Good luck to the both of you!

 

Debo's Chickens :

...What's worse? Traumatizing the hen a little to break her, or letting her go through the motions for nothing???...

I don't think it really traumatizes them, just messes with their groove a bit. While they brood they do get a break from laying, but with no chicks resulting in 3 weeks they may set for much longer than is healthy for them. They will eventually have to have their mood broken.

Some hens are easier to reprogram than others. Some will stop just by being taken out of the nest & put on the roost a few nights in a row, or taken out and put in the far corner of the yard with her flockmates. Others will need a few nights' stay in the Broody Buster Hotel, a wire-bottomed cage with no bedding set up so air can freely flow up underneath.​

 

I just had my 3rd (and last) Buff Orp go broody, and I did a version of the dunk-in-cold-water thing. I just held her and gently soaked her with water from the hose (don't worry-- it's almost 100 degrees here today-- she took about 20 minutes to completely dry) I THOUGHT it didn't work, because she ran shrieking right back to her nest, but an hour later I look out to see her scratching around the backyard like nothing happened, all signs of broodiness gone!

Now I just hope she keeps laying... she's my only mature hen left for eggs, they're all wanna-be mamas!

 

Yes, water. My mother used to take a broody and dunk her whole body up to the neck in water and then set her down on the ground. Boy, talk about a wet hen, mad as can be! She will shake herself and squak, making a real rucus, and shake herself again. But the broodyness will leave her. You probably would not want to do this if a hen goes broody in cold weather.

 

Quote:This DID NOT WORK for us. . . . My chickens received a cold water medicated dip ( for lice). They were dipped right up to their necks. I felt sorry for the broody - - - but she needed to be treated too. When I set her on the ground she walked around the coop and flapped her wings for a short time. Then is was back to the nest