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What do I do with my broody hen?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by sadieH5836, Aug 8, 2008.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Aug 8, 2008 #1
    sadieH5836

    sadieH5836 In the Brooder

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    Dec 27, 2007
    Egg Harbor
    I believe my bantum mix Jo Jo has gone broody. About a month ago she kept escaping the run and not laying in the coop. I would get her back in and out she'd go again. Then one day she disappeared. On the second day of her being gone we found her on a nest with nine eggs. We clipped her wings and I gathered her eggs and all was well. But 2 days ago I was gathering eggs and found her in a nesting box. I reached under her and she pecked me and started throwing a fit. She had 3 eggs under her and only one was hers. Since then she has been spending a fair amount of time in the box without any eggs. If I try to check under her for eggs she puffs up and pecks then throws her hissy fit. We don't have a roo, and I don't want babies. What do I do to get her out of her mood? Will she stop on her own? Out of 10 chickens she is the only one that does this.
     
  2. Aug 8, 2008 #2
    snowydiamonds

    snowydiamonds Songster

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    Feb 9, 2008
    On top of the world in Alaska
    since you don't have a roo to fertilize the eggs, just keep taking the eggs away

    distract her, give her treats like fruits and they love bread crumbs, too

    I just got three beautiful black week old bantam chicks from a friend who was trying to keep her two flocks from hatching any eggs, but failed;) I can tell there is a roo and two pullets already:) Very healthy lil peepers, they have a roo for each of their two flocks so all their eggs are fertile.
     
  3. Aug 8, 2008 #3
    Jashdon

    Jashdon Songster

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    Mar 29, 2008
    Snohomish, WA
    We had a young hen go broody a while back. We spent about a week or two kicking her out of the nesting boxes. When I was heading out for work in the morning I would lock her out of the coop/run and then at night we would block up the nesting boxes with pails and other things. When she did manage to find her way into one, we just grabbed her and put her out in the yard or run. She finally go the hint and gave up.

    I've heard another method is to put them in a wire cage so that they don't have any cedar shavings or straw to nest in but we didn't have a cage and didn't feel like buying or making one.

    Good luck!
     

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