Tis the season?

[Darlasmum]

Seems there are suddenly lots of posts about chickens going broody--guess spring is in the air! My BO has been broody for a week now- and not a rooster in sight! The e-investagating Ive done says they are hardwired to be broody for 21 days- the length of time for chicks to hatch. My girl allows me to pick her up and move her- but she heads right back to the nest. And when thrown out into the yard she will roam for about an hour before heading back. Has anyone had success w/ the dunking their behinds into a bucket of water to break them? Or Ice cubes in the nest?

 

[Mahonri]

I finally had to put one of my Wheaten hens in a different pen. She's still clucky but not sitting on a nest.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

My wife says I'm the one that is broody!

But she says that every time we put eggs in the box...

 

[CKMom]

My BO was broody for 6 weeks. I had to take her off the nest several times a day, she would go out to the run, eat a bit, and right back. I finally removed all nesting material, all golf balls, and put DE in the boxes. She finally decided to join the flock outside. My cochin is still broody, but will leave the nest for bits of time, and does like to free range, but goes back to the box in the evening. I think both of these birds would make excellect mothers, but we just do not have room for more.

 

[KKatknap]

I just let mine be broody. As long as she is eating & drinking, and getting her fluffy bottom out of there occasionally, I let her be. She'll quit in a little while, and while I miss her daily egg, I have plenty of others to keep us going.

ETA - Wow. Six weeks! I might have to make her stop if she went that long. Mildred always quits after @ 3.