[3Bluebelles]

Having just got over 2 problems with lice, then a chicken with a trapped nerve, now it seems we have a broody chicken!

She started yesterday evening by insisting on sleeping in the nesting box, which she hasn't done since we first got her in March. The other 2 slept on the perches as normal. Today she has stayed in the box all day. We checked at lunch time and she had an egg under her and she practically growled at us when we tried to lift her up! This evening she was still there, with 2 eggs under her (she had stolen another of the chucks eggs!).

We really haven't the room (or experience) to start breeding chicks yet, so I picked her up (ignoring the threatening noises!) and put her outside in the run, then removed the 2 eggs. She seemed OK and ate and drank with the others. In the meantime I closed the door to the hen house. As 9pm I opened it again and she went straight back into the nesting box. I took her out again and put a cardboard box in it to fill the space. She then wedged herself sideways into the entrance and settled down again.

I have now given in and taken the box out, and left her in the nesting box.

Any ideas for tomorrow?

Thanks,
Jacky.

PS She's a Rhode Rock, about 8 months old, and is called Janet.

[joyfull]

you will just have to keep perservering (sp?) or try the cage method - put her in a cage with no creature comforts just food and water, then leave her there for a few days, this helps lower her temperature to get her out of being broody 

[LittleRedHen]

Good luck with Janet!  Our Maran was broody for 6 weeks before I gave in and let her have some fertile eggs.  She has been in broody heaven ever since.  We have a mixed clutch of Brahma, Arcauna, and Bantam Frizzle eggs under her.  We don't have room either or experience, but I think we can work something out.  They all won't hatch out anyways, as I didn't let the Frizzle eggs rest 24 hours before putting them under her.  She poked a hole in one of the Arcauna eggs.  And this is only the first week!  I don't know what folly awaits in the next two!  Sure beats watching her think she has eggs under her for 6 weeks when she doesn't!

[grumpydad]

good luck, we have had a plymouth rock bantam who has been broody for 6 weeks, just come out for the first time, without being lifted out, still have a blue laced wyandotte who has been broody for 3 weeks, just keep taking her out.
does she fluff up like a turkey as she growls and clucks at you ?, lol.

martyn

[3Bluebelles]

Hi, yes she does. She's the littlest, timidest thing normally, scared of her own shadow, but when's she's on the nest, she makes herself look really big by spreading out her neck feathers, and she almost hisses! It makes me laugh, which probably winds her up even more! This morning when I tried to pick her up she turned round and pecked my hand! She's never done that before.

The cage thing seems a bit cruel. Do you even leave her there overnight? Or am I better just letting her do what she wants and letting her get it out of her system naturally? She won't stop the others laying as there are 2 nesting boxes for 3 of them. It's just that she then steals their eggs and sits on them. So we have to risk her wrath by taking the eggs from under her.

Thanks,
Jacky

[joyfull]

i assume you leave them in the cage over night but having never done it I couldn't be sure - some people even dunk their broody hens in a bucket of cold water to cool them down. I have only had 2 go broody and both then had eggs put under them so can't really offer any advice about stopping them sorry.

[agingchick]

Hi I used the cage method last year I kept her in day and night for three days and it worked  she started laying again within a fortnight.
Diane

[ehs284]

See post for broody hens later - bucket of water lots of TLC and keep out of nest and alone at night.  HTH