Sorry if this is beating a dead horse, but I have a broody hen...

[Acsmith8213]

I have a hen that's been broody for a couple of weeks now and we have to take make her get up and go eat and drink (we're not watching her all day though). This is my first time with chickens so I'm honestly not sure what to do. There's so many ideas and opinions on-line that it's very confusing for me. I don't want her to just sit there until she passes. We do not have a rooster so none of her eggs will hatch. Please help!

 

[sourland]

I'd either block or cage her away from her nest site. Most hens will 'break' on their own, but some will set long enough to debilitate themselves to the point of illness.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I had a silkie mix hen staying broody for two months! Then her health went down hill, even I took her out to eat and drink several times a day. I find the best way to break a broody is to put her in a dog cage with NO bedding in it. I don't do wire bottom, since it hurts her feet. I just put the cage either on grass or on ground in their run, depends on weather. She usually quits in 3~4 days.

 

[hysop]

If you don’t have a rooster ergo no fertilized eggs and you don’t wish to buy any and let her hatch them, then I’d attempt to break her broodiness.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Ok. I don't know where to purchase fertilized eggs. Do you think getting a chick or two would work?

If you are prepared for more chickens you can buy some day-old chicks and slip them under her at night.
You'll need to prepare.. Food, housing etc

 

[dennisma1]

I have a hen that's been broody for a couple of weeks now and we have to take make her get up and go eat and drink (we're not watching her all day though). This is my first time with chickens so I'm honestly not sure what to do. There's so many ideas and opinions on-line that it's very confusing for me. I don't want her to just sit there until she passes. We do not have a rooster so none of her eggs will hatch. Please help!

My Buff O is the queen of broodyness. Puffy , demented, stubborn. we call her crazy Buffy. ..I just stick her in a crate in the ac on a tile floor for a few days. If it doesn't take I just try it again. She will starve herself and sit on straw even without eggs for weeks otherwise in a hot coop. ( FL) Sometimes I'll dunk her up to her belly in water first to cool her down. She can get super skinny if I don't take action.

 

[hysop]

Ok. I don't know where to purchase fertilized eggs. Do you think getting a chick or two would work?

Thank you. We do have a Newfoundland size crate in our shed so I'll set that up when I get home on the grass.

Depending on how long she’s been broody she may accept day old chicks. It all depends on the hen.

Breaking a broody was a hit or miss with my chickens. Either just shooing em away would work and other times I just had to let them hatch some since nothing would break them.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

My hen was so determined, she went broody 4 times in less that a year!
On her 4th time, I felt so bad for her, I bought her some eggs off eBay.
Her 3 chicks are a week old today

 

[Pork Pie]

Breaking a broody hen

 

[Acsmith8213]

If you are prepared for more chickens you can buy some day-old chicks and slip them under her at night.
You'll need to prepare.. Food, housing etc

Yes, we were thinking about getting a couple more anyway. I'll talk to the chicken hubby about it.