[Lakisha354]

Hi not quite sure what to do one of my hens has gone broody, every time some one goes in the co-op she goes for them. She is also stopping the other hens from getting in to lay. 

[Roughlee Handled]

Sounds like a broody to me.  How long has she been broody for?

[Lakisha354]

Three or four days

[Roughlee Handled]

And she has not moved from the nest box?  I am just concerned as some broodies are not very good at looking after themselves she will need food and water.   Have a search on the forum for how to stop a broody being broody. The info is on here but I have had a few sherberts so am not allowed on here and cant remember what to do. ( you aint seen me alright)

She needs to eat and drink. Garden gloves tommorrow and get here out of that nest box.

[joyfull]

1st things 1st - do you want her to stay broody? If yes can you get fertile eggs to put under her? Do you have a seperate broody box or similar to put her in? What will you do with any cockerels that will be born (usually more males than females). What will you do if she decides not to sit full term - do you have access to an inci? If after all this then place her in the broody box with the fertile eggs under her. At least once a day remove her from the nest so that she feeds, drinks and does her poos (when broody they are enormous). Keep this up until day 21 when the eggs should hopefully hatch, not all may hatch, but after two days from the first hatching she will leave it.
If you don't want her to stay broody then I'm afraid I can't help you as both of mine that did got eggs put under them - so now have 6 bantams (nearly 3 weeks old sex unknown as yet) and eleven copper maran eggs under the second. Did read somewhere on here about lowering her temperature by dunking her bum in cold water.

[agingchick]

The best way to stop her being broody is to get a wire cage stand it on bricks and put the hen in there with food and water keep her there for 3/4 days. this worked for me last year.

[anitaws]

Sorry to but in but did you leave her in the wire cage overnight as well for 3 to 4 days. 

Barnervelder, I love them to bit but there  not supposed to be broody easily well I now have 2 out of 4 and its a constant battle of wills to keep two of them out of the nest box.

Your wire cage x 2 sounds like a good idea.

Anita

[agingchick]

yes  I kept her in all the time just made sure it was sheltered from the weather. first time I let her out I did it later in the day when the others had laid and closed off the coop til evening. oh and I placed the wire cage where they could all see and hear each other.
Diane

[joyce c]

Sorry to but in but did you leave her in the wire cage overnight as well for 3 to 4 days. 

Barnervelder, I love them to bit but there  not supposed to be broody easily well I now have 2 out of 4 and its a constant battle of wills to keep two of them out of the nest box.

Your wire cage x 2 sounds like a good idea.

Anita

My 2 wynandottes went broody end April, managed to get them out of it by forcing them out each morning, and locking the coop.  After about 1 week, they started to lay again.  Then 2 weeks ago, 1 of them started again, and consequently the other followed suit and stopped laying.  I have repeated what I did in April, but with no results.  They have turned quite vicious when being churned out of the nest each day (lets face it, I wouldn't like to be thrown out of my bed each morning).  My biggest worry is that they are hardly eating or drinking.  I've even put food into the nest, but they've refused to eat it.   Their favourite tit bits aren't having the desired effect on them.    I've read many books, searched nearly every web site there is, and even bought magazines.  Not sure what else to do now.  Any comments/help would be appreciated.

[joyfull]

When they are broody and egg sitting they don't eat very much (no need as they are not very active) unlike me when waiting to have my 2 sons I ate for England  . If you want to get her out of this state, some people use the cage method and others dunk their bums in a bucket of water. Both methods help to lower the hens temperature and get them out of the broody state. Either that or you have to wait for the broody period to finish - 3-4 weeks.

[joyce c]

In your experiences, is there any way to try and stop them being broody.  And from what I've read, some chooks have tendancies to go broody more than others.  Would you agree. 

[Foxy]

You cant really stop an hen going broody, however, the earlier you catch and try and break the better

[agingchick]

the trouble with just turfing them out of the nest and shutting the coop door is that the other hens can't get in to lay thats why I went for the cage.
Diane

[joyce c]

Cage sounds like good idea.  Could you perhaps describle what size the cage is, and what it looks like.  Just to give me an idea. 

Thanks for your continued help.   

[agingchick]

I made mine from the wire shelves you get in greenhouses but someone I know brought a dog cage one of the collapsable  type you use to transport your dog in. I guess if it going to be a regular problem its worth spending a bit of money. this time I am letting mine stay broody and putting some eggs under her.
Diane