How long should I let her sit? Very broody hen...

[Mikey]

Which breeds do you all have that are more prone to going broody then?

I'm getting my 3 beauties over the weekend, and with only three I'd hate to pick an overly broody breed.

We are favouring White Star, or Sussex Star, a Warren or Road Rock, and a Bluebell, has anyone any knowledge of these hybrids, or am I answering my own question? (Hybrid = less broody?)

[OverWyreGrower]

Hybrids are usually less broody than pure breeds I think.... none of my hybrids have ever gone broody, but the others are a nightmare for it!

[polo]

Ah, I didn't boil the eggs I left her sit on. I cracked them open down the drain - poooooooooooooooooooooooweeeeeeeeeeee !

I let mine sit, Corris as I couldn't be bothered to do anything about her, it was the 2nd time she went broody this year (shes out of it now, this morning she squatted as soon as she saw me) - we had enough on our plates at the time!

Oh Chris - I did exactly the same after that conversation with RH. I DIDNT boil them and one exploded under the hen and I had to soak the rotten egg of her front.

One lesson learn't the hard way

[Hilary B]

If you want to discourage broodiness, I would tend to go for a sin-bin method (putting her into a cage that is so well ventilated she gets cold around the derriere) rather than cold water. I have to admit that if I wasn't going to let a hen hatch anything, I would try to get her over broodiness ASAP. It's a matter of opinion whether it is kinder to let her brood unhatchable eggs, or discourage her from the beginning, but to me it seems better to discourage. Surely even a hen is capable of mourning when she realises her eggs are not going to hatch?

[Flummery]

Mine are hybrids and I've had one of the Rangers go broody - last year - and one of the Blacks this year. I'm sure they are less prone to it but they still can become The Hen from Hell.

[Nicsknots]

Hi Everyone,

I am reading this thread with interest because I got my hens yesterday and seem to have a broody hen. She spent all day today sat in her nest. I spoke to a friend at school who told me to lift her off and try to put her near her food to make her eat, which I did and promptly found two eggs! I moved the eggs and she did have a drink and some food before going back to the nest where she stayed for the rest of the afternoon and I wasn't really very sure what to do.

[elizajay]

Hi Everyone,

I am reading this thread with interest because I got my hens yesterday and seem to have a broody hen. She spent all day today sat in her nest. I spoke to a friend at school who told me to lift her off and try to put her near her food to make her eat, which I did and promptly found two eggs! I moved the eggs and she did have a drink and some food before going back to the nest where she stayed for the rest of the afternoon and I wasn't really very sure what to do.

Sounds broody! Really bad luck when you have just got your hens to have a broody already. Maybe she needs a bit of time to settle before you try to gently encourage her to stop being broody. Presumably the person you got her from knew she was broody? Problem is, in my experience you get some hens who go broody at the drop of a hat and some who never do even if they are a broody type breed, so that hen is likely to go broody again.

[Nicsknots]

Hmm, see I was thinking the same today; surely he knew she was broody....I bought three from him, never had hens before. Maybe I should give it a few days and see what happens. She is good natured. I was a bit scared of lifting her off but she was fine about it and didn't try to peck me like I thought she would.
I was fairly excited that I had had two eggs less than 24 hrs after getting them home...and I have two small children who spent most of yesterday 'given the hens hugs' as my 6yr old told me, so I was worried that they would scare the poor hens from ever laying!

Sounds broody! Really bad luck when you have just got your hens to have a broody already. Maybe she needs a bit of time to settle before you try to gently encourage her to stop being broody. Presumably the person you got her from knew she was broody? Problem is, in my experience you get some hens who go broody at the drop of a hat and some who never do even if they are a broody type breed, so that hen is likely to go broody again.

[polo]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

Clucky hen actually got of her nest 5 times so far today to wander around the garden so hopefully she is getting fed up of sitting. That's the first time I have seen her away from the nest since the beginning (unless I chucked her out for some water!)

We shall see..

[Suechooks]

My Silkie has now been sitting for over 4 weeks now! She's been joined now by Phoebe the bantam Orpington. Whenever the Leghorn goes in to lay she turfs them both out far more efficiently that I can! As soon as she's laid her egg they both go back and squabble over the golf ball and pot egg lus the Leghorn egg which to their disgust I remove asap!