Broody Hen

[frias]

One of my 6 ex Batts has gone broody. It's only been a few days but so far I remove all the eggs as soon as possible and keep turfing her out into the run. We don't have cockeral and don't want any more hens so getting an egg for her to hatch is not an option. All laying by the other hens is always over by lunchtime so I could lock the coop up until bedtime to stop her returning to the nest but is this cruel? I'm worried because she objects to the other hens going in to lay and also she doesn't stay out long enough to eat when I turf her out. My husband is busy building a bigger coup with nest boxes both sides but has been held up by the weather. Hopefully this will be finished soon and at least the other girls can lay in peace. Any advise will be much appreciated. Thank you.

[CountryFayre]

If you have a wire cat basket, puppy crate or well ventilated box put her in it in the morning with drinking water and pop her somewhere where the draught can get up underneath her bottom but obviously not where next doors dog can get her and not in the direct sun. By the end of the day she should be back to normal.

[Jardiniere]

I have a broody hen at the moment ...i throw her out of the henhouse into the run and block off the entrance to the nest box (as soon as the other two have laid).She eventually flies back but bit by bit she has stayed out a lttle longer until today she was in the run all afternoon and didnt try to fly out...however the minute i put them back in the henhouse and opened up the nest box (for the morning) she was in there again....i think you just have to put up with it unless you can do the sin bin option.

[frias]

Thank you Countryfayre. As yet I haven't got a suitable basket but will try to get one today. My husband suggested putting a cold fan on my broody but I don't want her to get a chill. Meanwhile I will continue with Jardiniere's way although she did spend most of yesturday shut out of the coop, (my broody not Jardinere!)with the occasional vocal objection. However it did mean that at least she ate something although today she is back to square one, taking up all the space in the nest box and not happy when the others join her. If only the rain would stop the new coop and nest boxes would be finished.

[frias]

Well I've done it and I feel awful. Spotty, my broody hen is in the sin bin. I couldn't find an open cat basket so begged the local shop for 2 old shopping baskets and fixed them together. I hope this will surfice. She has water and enough room to move and is she moving! she hasn't sat down once. I hope this works as can't do this to her again. I didn't rescue her from the battery farm to be cruel to her. I wouldn't mind her being broody if she would eat. The others spend all day eating but she just wants to sit on the nest all day and she has definately lost weight. Please let this work!

[frias]

It didn't work! Obviously Spotty is more determined than most. Why would a hen that has spent her life in a battery cage and never even seen a cockeral decide she wants to sit on a nest all day and hatch some eggs? Perhaps the best I can hope for is she will get over it. Unfortunately when I returned her to the rest of the girls last night the boss gave her a right telling off for being missing all day. Has anyone got any more suggestions or shall I just leave her be?

[Jardiniere]

just leave her -its hormones and she will get over it. Mine is starting to spend less time on the nest if i stop her from getting into it she does go off and drink and eat...the annoying thing is with only three hens (three french hens) i'm only getting two eggs a day.

[di]

Depending on how long you can wait,I think like Jardiniere says she will eventually snap out of it.We had a broody bantam a couple of years ago & were advised to dip her bot in cold water a couple of times a day~Bless her I think she knew cos straight after we'd been given the advice she snapped out of it so we didn't need to do it!!
Hope your girl returns to normal soon!

[frias]

Thank you for your replies. I have just checked the nest boxes and there are 3 eggs in one nest from the other girls but Spotty is not moving. On the plus side I can check her easily for lice etc cos she sits very still and all fluffed out. Once all the others have finished laying I lock the coop and then she eats with the others. If I don't force her out she doesn't come out. I can wait as long as she can but worry about her losing weight. I make sure she fills up with corn before I open the coop up in the evening as she bolts straight back in. Just hope I'm doing right.

[Jardiniere]

has your girl got a bald spot on her front so that she snuck up close to the eggs and keep them warm with her body heat? Mine has. Chickens are weird.......

[JackieAt]

We have a broody hen this is her second time in 6 mths, this time we have tried giving her a donated ? fertile egg to sit on. She has until Wednesday - hatching day, if that doesnt work then we go back to turning her out when the others have laid and locking the coop up.
I hadnt relaised what a strong instinct it is to them to just sit but she seems fine.... bless her

[frias]

No bald spot. In fact Spotty was the only hen to come to us with most of her feathers. The others are really picking on her now when she does emerge from the nest box, and that is only if forced out. Julia (the boss) had a beak full of Spotty's feathers yesterday. Fortunatly no blood spilled as yet but am keeping my eyes open in case. The others are treating her like an stranger. Don't want to get a fertile egg as if chick was male we couldn't keep it. Don't really want more than 6 hens either. I cried like anything when our cat had kittens and they had to go. Thought no-one could look after them as well as me. I know I would be just the same with chickens.