will a broody hen come out of it on her own?

Rustywreck

Songster
11 Years
Sep 5, 2008
190
15
121
Solon Springs, Wisconsin
I have one hen will do whatever it takes to stay in a nest. She isn't fussy about which one.
I take her out, she tries to go back in. I don't have a crate to lock her in, and only a little time each day to fight the battle of wills with her, and I'm losing.
I will be gone for a week and the neighbors will be doing the feeding. I worry about her not eating or drinking while I'm gone. When I take her out of the nest she'll eat and drink, but I'm affraid she might not do either as determined as she is to stay in the nest.
Will she come out of this broodiness on her own?
 
It's hard to tell, I have one that has been broody for over 4 months now. She gets off the nest several times a day to eat, drink, and do her business but then gets right back on the nest. Maybe you could ask the neighbor to take her off the nest everyday to eat and drink.
 
She needs to be kept in a wire-bottomed cage, like a parrot or rabbit cage, held up on blocks or sawhorses so there's air flow up underneath her. Put food & water in there, but no flooring. In about 4-6 days or so her broody mood should pass (but could return in a few weeks).

You may not want to do this while you're away, unless your chicken-sitters can be relied upon to keep her food & water dishes filled in her cage. While she's on the nest she *should* be sneaking out to eat/drink/poop at least once a day, and will *should* be doing this already on her own.
 
this is not a cold weater fix and may not be a fix at all but a few years ago I had several that would not stop and i diped thelm in cold water tub a few times it did work (seamed to break the temp. of the hen) this worked more than once. may thing i would do is have your feeder be sure to move her off the nest at least once a day that way the eggs under her will not start to form. she will stop on her own in time.
 

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