Silly stubborn hen

[chicklover16]

I have a broody hen

it's my first experience with a broody and I know absolutely nothing about it, I don't have a rooster sot the eggs are not fertile, but the silly hen won't give up! I've taken her of the nest several times but she just keeps going back, so I made her a little cardboard box which she is now sitting in, is there any way to make her realize that SHE CAN'T JUST HATCH EGGS!

 

[maybejoey]

I heard that you can put oil on the eggs, Thats with geese though. Dont know if it will work with chickens?

 

[ThinkingChickens]

You can put her in an open bottom cage to try and break her broodiness. Or, you can just let her ride it out. I feel like sometimes these things are inevitable.

 

[mamabigbird]

OH you're in for fun and games. Several tricks you might try are:
(1) Put her in a wire bottom cage with no bedding and preferably elevated off the ground a bit so there is air movement under her. ( I've read it here but it hasn't worked for me,lol)
(2) Cool dunks in water to try to cool her body temp. ( Guaranteed to make her mad as heck,lol)
(3) If your hens don't free range you can lock her out of the pen and coop during the day.

Failing all else you can just wait her out, it takes about 3 weeks for them to finally give it up.
Just make sure she eats and drinks a bit. They can lose a lot of weight during the process.
Good luck ... and be patient. She can't help it ... she just wants to be a mommy.

 

[chicklover16]

thanks guys I am going to try everything