persistance?

[BUFFS]

we have had a broody hen now for about 5 weeks, we have tried just about everything,wire netting in the floor of the nest box,keeping her out foraging(which she seems to enjoy),having her bottom dipped in cold water,just everything that has been recommended on the vine,she is still going straight up into the nestbox as soon as she can,sitting there,going chook,chook,chook all the time,do they have a rough time limit? or do they go on for months?,our soft shell layer laid for the first time in 3 weeks today and yes,another soft egg,done all the advised bits,but she wont lay a good egg,she was the best layer,massive eggs every day then,as the weather warmed up,this soft shell habit started,now over 3 monthsand no sign of any let up,now getting earache over it from OH,she says get rid of her...any ideas welcome.....

[RichmondHens]

Some birds are very persistent. The only way out might just be to give her a couple of fertile eggs ..........! I have a broody bantam who has been broody since November, apart from 4 weeks when she hatched and raised one chick (token egg), then she laid a few eggs for a couple of weeks and returned to being broody again. I'm doing the same trick again, have given her a token egg just to try and kick start her system again, although I suspect the same thing will happen. The trouble is when they are broody for months on end is that they lose a lot of condition. Your bird will be ok if she has only sat for 5 weeks so far, so don't lose hope. Maybe if you don't want to raise any more then just leave her to sit it out.

With regard to the soft shell layer, I would be inclined to "do the deed" unless you want to keep her as a pet and put up with the soft shells. It sounds like you have done all you can (I have followed your battle on other threads). Maybe she has a problem with her calcium uptake which cannot be fixed. If she were mine I would not keep her.

[camborne2]

hi,we had a broody hen,the only thing that worked was to put her in a seperate run in with the other hens with food and water.block up the nest boxes at night and put her on a perch with the other hens.repeat for 3-4 days and she was back to normal.hope this helps it works for us!!

[BUFFS]

well, ive had a word with "she who must be obeyed",im the boss in my house and my wife said i could say so,and as the soft egg layer does not seem in any pain or discomfort,we will give her some more limestone flour and if that fails,she will be a pet,she is a blackrock and is a heavy bird(she is our largest bird,bigger than our plymouth rock),i would have been okay to cull her but we have got fond of them and their daft little antics

[BUFFS]

well camborne2,ive just cut some boards to block off the nest boxes and as all the other birds have laid ,i have moved her out and put the boards in,one unhappy chook,but the others dont seem bothered,last week they were all seeming to peck at her,so,fingers crossed,i will let you know how it goes...thanks a lot...

[camborne2]

its worked for us with 2 hens now,we first tryed rocks in the nest box at night,but she still tryed to lay on them!!! wood is the best bet then move in the morning.

[BUFFS]

she seems to be spending more time out of the coop now,but still very broody,now spending most of the day outside,still clucking though...