What to do with a broody hen?

[suburban farm girl]

One of my golden sebrights is broody. We don't have a rooster. I left an egg in the nest box for her to sit on yesterday, but am unsure of what to do...
Would it be a good idea to get a fertile egg for her to sit on?
Is it wise for me to leave an unfertile egg for her to sit on?
golf balls? Nothing?
Will her broodiness run its course without a 'blessed event'?
Is there anything else I haven't asked about broodiness without fertile eggs on the scene that you think would be good for me to know?

Just when I think I've got it figured out a new twist comes at me!

 

[KellyHM]

Buy some fertile eggs and stick them under her.

I wouldn't leave the infertile egg for too long b/c it will start to smell. If you really don't want her being broody sometimes putting her in a different pen will break the broodiness.

 

[Shay1327]

Hatch some babies!!! A good broody is worth her weight in gold!

 

[chickenscratch]

i had the same problem and someone on here told me to do the following and it worked great.
fill a five gallon bucket with water and dunk her in it for a few seconds. it basically shocks her out of it.

 

[suburban farm girl]

Quote:
I just imagine myself being dunked in the equivalent of a 5 gallon bucket of cold water

and couldn't do it to one of my hens.

Rather than shocking her out of it I'm more interested in helping her satisfy her need to do the broody thing.

I may see about getting a fertile egg...

 

[ewesfullchicks]

I'm battling broodiness myself.

Please realize that while a hen is on the nest she doesn't eat very much, so she's going to lose condition. Some hens will starve themselves to death while being broody if the eggs don't hatch.

Unless you have known fertile eggs for a broody to hatch, then break that cycle as soon as possible in the interest of the hen's health!

Take her off to a light "non-nesty" area with food and water (like a wire cage well lit) to break that broody cycle. The earlier, the better. You are not doing the hen any favors to continue that behavior.

Plus, you need to realize that when a hen is brooding - she's not laying!

Good luck,

Rachel
Bellecreek Farm

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
I just imagine myself being dunked in the equivalent of a 5 gallon bucket of cold water

and couldn't do it to one of my hens.

Rather than shocking her out of it I'm more interested in helping her satisfy her need to do the broody thing.

I may see about getting a fertile egg...

You need more than 1 egg...they don't all hatch and 1 baby chick would be lonely. I can ship you a few if you want to pay shipping.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Yup, unless you have fertile eggs to put under her immediately available.

Set up the wire cage so there is air flow under it, like up on blocks, and put no nesting material in there. This cools her underside. Takes a few days. Do give food and water, of course, just no nesting material.

 

[suburban farm girl]

Quote:
Yup, unless you have fertile eggs to put under her immediately available.

Set up the wire cage so there is air flow under it, like up on blocks, and put no nesting material in there. This cools her underside. Takes a few days. Do give food and water, of course, just no nesting material.

I'm grateful to both of you for your comments and wisdom.

I guess my decision will be based on which option is easier to access - getting fertile eggs - today - or finding a wire cage that will allow good air access.

Thank you again.

I'll make another post about what we did and how it worked.

 

[LynneP]

Some thoughts here- went through this with a roosterless hen a month back-

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-sick-hen