Some More Advice on my Broody Hen

[Malpower]

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Oh dear, I hadn't read that it wasn't good to just let them go broody with no eggs to hatch. That kind of worries me then, especially if she might just go on and on and on and not stop. I misunderstood about "going broody" and thought that it was a cycle that had an end, whether there were eggs to hatch or not.

If you can close off the coop after everyone has laid, I would do that and leave it closed until bed time. And then make sure she isn't in the nest box at night - when it's dark, move her to a roost. I'd also remove those fake eggs until she's over this - and anytime you catch her in a nest, remove her.

This is what I've been doing -- taking her out and closing the coop and leaving it closed till bedtime. I've taken all the eggs out at your suggestion (wonder if the other girls will lay or not without them, but I'll give it another try). I will also try removing her from the nest tonight after dark and stick her on the roost with the other girls. Wonder if she'll still be there in the morning -- but that's worth a try, too! Just hadn't even thought of doing that. Thanks!​

 

[Judy]

I let my broody stay in the nest for over 3 months, kicking her out once or twice a day to eat, etc., before she quit. She laid for a couple of months then went broody again, sigh, so I gave up and gave her fertile eggs. I tried taking her out repeatedly and closing off the nest; I never tried the wire cage; not sure I could do that.

But broodiness is not healthy for them, especially over 3 weeks, and when those wooden eggs don't hatch, they will often stay broody a lot longer. They typically lose weight and can actually starve to death. Mine was thinner after the 3 months, then she laid and acted like a chicken til she put her weight on again, then went broody again.

Fortunately I will now have plenty of fertile eggs and a place for new babies, so I will just give her eggs every time it happens. She is now raising one month old chicks. She's a great mama, too.

 

[Judy]

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You don't.

 

[Malpower]

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Sounds much like my girl -- being annoyed and the rather interesting vocalizations. No, I won't put any eggs under her -- sorry we can't compare notes on that, but I simply don't want chicks, only have a very small coop that accommodates the 4 girls, and got older pullets on purpose -- maybe one day with more time and more space I'd try chicks which I'm sure would be fun. Will be curious to hear what happens with your girl and the eggs though.

As it is, I wish I'd known more about which breeds tend to be broody, but the gal I bought this one from didn't give me any info like that and being new to chickens, I didn't even know there was such a thing -- I read a lot, but missed this somehow. She's very sweet though and I wouldn't give her up, have just been trying to go along with her program to the extent I can!

 

[Eggs4Sale]

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Let us know what you decide to do, or if you just let it ride...

My science experiment may turn out to be heartbreaking, or not..

All I know is an hour after I put the eggs under her, she was walking around the chicken yard looking like a regular hen!!! Guess she thought "Wait, that looks like too much for me!" I need to look and see what temperature the eggs need to stay at. Maybe she knew they'd be fine without her there???

 

[Malpower]

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Oh gosh, 3 months!!!! Yikes! I haven't been sure about the wire cage for various reasons like you and haven't pursued it since I got home, but maybe I should if much more time goes by.

But broodiness is not healthy for them, especially over 3 weeks, and when those wooden eggs don't hatch, they will often stay broody a lot longer. They typically lose weight and can actually starve to death. Mine was thinner after the 3 months, then she laid and acted like a chicken til she put her weight on again, then went broody again.

This worries me although mine isn't thinner -- she seems to eat pretty well once I haul her out and acts pretty normal for a couple of hours. But hearing they don't just stop after x amount of time does worry me now.

Wish I COULD just stick some fertile eggs under her but that's just not feasible at this time. Sigh!​

 

[Eggs4Sale]

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Sounds much like my girl -- being annoyed and the rather interesting vocalizations. No, I won't put any eggs under her -- sorry we can't compare notes on that, but I simply don't want chicks, only have a very small coop that accommodates the 4 girls, and got older pullets on purpose -- maybe one day with more time and more space I'd try chicks which I'm sure would be fun. Will be curious to hear what happens with your girl and the eggs though.

As it is, I wish I'd known more about which breeds tend to be broody, but the gal I bought this one from didn't give me any info like that and being new to chickens, I didn't even know there was such a thing -- I read a lot, but missed this somehow. She's very sweet though and I wouldn't give her up, have just been trying to go along with her program to the extent I can!

Are you going to try to de-broody her, or just let it go and see what happens? I wonder if you leave enough tempting treats out, like watermelon, if that will keep her nourished enough through her stint of broodiness.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

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Oh gosh, 3 months!!!! Yikes! I haven't been sure about the wire cage for various reasons like you and haven't pursued it since I got home, but maybe I should if much more time goes by.

But broodiness is not healthy for them, especially over 3 weeks, and when those wooden eggs don't hatch, they will often stay broody a lot longer. They typically lose weight and can actually starve to death. Mine was thinner after the 3 months, then she laid and acted like a chicken til she put her weight on again, then went broody again.

This worries me although mine isn't thinner -- she seems to eat pretty well once I haul her out and acts pretty normal for a couple of hours. But hearing they don't just stop after x amount of time does worry me now.

Wish I COULD just stick some fertile eggs under her but that's just not feasible at this time. Sigh!​

Would it be possible for you to have her hatch eggs, then take them to the feed store for them to sell? I've never done it, don't know how it works...

 

[Malpower]

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Wow! Not as hot here as for you guys, but in low hundreds on and off past couple of weeks and some days just do me in -- I work on keeping all the girls cool and watered, myself included!

Sounds like we're in a similar situation with our broody girls, right down to the others not wanting to lay if the fake eggs are gone. And I'm sure enjoying holding and petting Baby a couple of times a day now -- hope when she's normal again she'll remember that I'm nothing to be afraid of! IF she's ever normal again!

 

[Judy]

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You know, if she stays out for a couple of hours, she may not be all that determined. It's a hormone thing, and obviously, hormones can be at varying levels. That's why some will abandon a nest halfway through.

When mine was setting her eggs, she would get up once a day for about 15-20 minutes, eat and such, then head back. Maybe you can break her by keeping her out longer, or maybe let her go back then kick her out again an hour later or something. I do know lots of people break them by repeatedly removing them, even though it didn't work on mine.

Good news is, mine is a Kraienkoppe, which is one of the 6 or 8 breeds known to be persistently broody -- and yours is not one of those breeds. You just happened upon an individual who has the broody gene more or less intact. So maybe that means she might break easier than mine did, if you are persistent.

If I were you I'd try it. I'd also shut the coop after the others have laid for the day, til night, and place her on the roost each night if she heads for the nest, even if she doesn't stay. Or even close off the nest at night if you let them out before they start laying in the morning.

Good to know she does not seem to be losing weight.

Good luck!