Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: crem on April 19, 2010, 20:14

Title: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: crem on April 19, 2010, 20:14

We've had our 3 hens since October, they will be a yr old in June. One of them just wants to sit on the nest/eggs now and you have to bully her off them and down into the run. We think she is broody. Any tips on do's and don'ts?

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: joyfull on April 19, 2010, 21:02

depends on whether you want her to hatch some eggs or not.

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: French Chick on April 20, 2010, 11:32

Hi crem, yes I have had my chicks and a cockerel for one year and they have been broody a few times. In the end I left one egg under each which I marked with a felt tip. A couple of times they came to nothing after 21 days with the hen laying on them and I threw them away. No matter how many times I shood them off, mine always went back. If you have no cockerel you won't have chicks, and if they are broody you won't have many eggs only the ones she has layed on and any others that the other chickens lay there too. By the way my one chick that hatched is doing well.

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: scrappydoo on April 20, 2010, 12:56

 :) Hi All
            Along with Crem I have my first hen gone broody on me :mad:, I dont want to hatch eggs, so how do I stop her & get her laying again ???

Best Regards

Steve

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: Beano on April 20, 2010, 13:10

When you find out how to stop her broodiness I'd like to know. I gave up on ours. It was too stressfull for her and me.

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: joyfull on April 20, 2010, 13:25

Whilst you can't stop a hen from becoming broody there are several ways to help her get over it - please see this link  :)

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=43584.0

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: crem on April 20, 2010, 14:01

I should have said i don't have a cockerel just 3 hens.

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: joyfull on April 20, 2010, 14:06

so do you want her to hatch chicks or not? if yes then you need to source a good supplier of fertile eggs (I find it is best to collect them in person so you can see the parents and also so that they don't get too shaken up on the journey home). you need to get a broody coup set up as well.

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: iowrooster on April 20, 2010, 21:35

Hi

Two of my silkies went broody last week. I threw both chickens out of the house each day and blocked the house off, opening it up when our Poland wanted to lay- shes very vocal when she wants to lay.  Seemed to do the trip, no need to block off the house this week, all back to normal!! One thing i did notice when they were broody is that the older chicken became a bully when first thrown out of the house!!
Hope this helps.
Lee :)

Title: Re: My first time with a broody hen - what should i do?
Post by: pheobe1 on May 08, 2010, 22:08

Hi, my silkie became broody last week, i worried because her personality changed.  My other hen is an orpington cross. My broody hen has become quite vocal and aggressive towards the other bird.I just make sure she gets out of the box twice a day,she's reluctant but not aggressive towards me. It takes her a few mins to find her legs though! Its interesting to see how my other bird stays close to her even though she,s not laying yet and is normally frantic to get in the garden. I am new to chicken keeping and love it.Hope this helps.