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Chicken keepers

Meet others keeping chickens on our Mumsnet Chicken forum.

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Original poster

it's most probably been done before, but how can I stop a broody hen?

15 replies

Owllady · 01/08/2013 15:10

I only have two females but this time of year, every august, the one becomes broody. It's fine if I am here as I can make sure she goes down to eat by locking her out of the house so she can feed but I am going away on holiday next week and I usually pay someone to come once a day but at this rate I will have to pay for two visits to make sure she is locked out of the house to eat/drink as she isn't bright enough to make sure she eats, she would just do her lion puff out all day until she starved to death

I put an icepack under yesterday but she just made it warm! and really was not bothered by it.

are there any other tips? I read the advice about the wire cage and fan but tbh i didn't understand it

any advice appreciated thanks. i most probably worry too much about my hens but I don't like the idea of her dying because she has forgotten to eat whilst we are away on holiday either

OP posts:

mummymeister · 01/08/2013 22:53

she wont forget to eat surely. never had one of mine do this. have you tried china eggs. gives her something to sit on.

lia66 · 02/08/2013 00:46

Is it impossible to give her a few eggs to hatch?

Hechan · 02/08/2013 00:54

I put mine in a wire cage (old dog crate) in the garage, it's raised up on bricks so they can't get all warm underneath and I put food/water in with them. After 48 hrs they're normally fine.
I've also heard you can dunk the bum end in cold water but that doesn't work on my hens.
If left alone mine always come out to eat a bit in the morning and have a drink, then go straight back up to brood.

Original poster

Owllady · 02/08/2013 12:51

okay, I tried the dunking yesterday and have done it again this morning (she seemed to really like it and just sat in the bowl for a while ) and she is free ranging in the garden atm and it's a lot cooler so will see if that will work.

I honestly wouldn't put it past her to not eat. She really is not the brightest of hens. She is nice, very docile, goes and sits on the children's laps etc! but she isn't bright - I don't mean that horrible, I just know my hen

If that doesn't work I will get her into the dog crate on bricks in the shed. the dog wont be happy though

OP posts:

pigsinmud · 02/08/2013 20:49

I got 4 hens last September, so am fairly new to this. They are hybrids, but one has gone broody. I thought she was ill to start with. She is terrifying at the moment.

I have the same problem as I'm going away in a week. I have been locking the coop door so she can't sit there all day. She is not eating much though. Not sure what to do next week. What is dunking them in water supposed to do? Don't fancy my chances doing that!

Blackpuddingbertha · 02/08/2013 21:11

Mine will forget to eat. I have two prone to broodiness and they will spend all summer going through bouts of it, nothing works but the 'broody box' or 'chicken jail' as it's called here. I use a small dog crate that I picked up at a car boot for 50p. Up on bricks to keep the air flow, food and water secured in there so it doesn't get tipped over. I put it in the run during the day (so she's not lonely and as a warning to the others ) and in the shed at night. Normally takes three nights for them to give up.

Original poster

Owllady · 04/08/2013 13:43

nothing is working
I haven't got anything I can turn into a chicken jail

do you think it is okay if I just pay the chicken lady to come twice a day to lock her out and then let her back in later in the day? she will eat if locked out but not if able to make her own choice

we are going away for a fortnight

OP posts:

ArtisanLentilWeaver · 04/08/2013 13:46

Could you put some fertile eggs underneath her?

Original poster

Owllady · 04/08/2013 13:49

I only have lady hens, they don't even have a boyfriend

OP posts:

SimLondon · 10/08/2013 22:32

Lol at the not having a boyfriend - one of mine is broody right now, we don't encourage it - just evict it a couple of times a day from the nesting box in front of the food - she seems to forget for a few minutes, long enough to eat / drink.

I was quoted £7.50 a chicken lady visit!

Original poster

Owllady · 27/08/2013 10:55

yes I had to pay £12 a day!
well i have come home and she is still broody

OP posts:

pigsinmud · 28/08/2013 08:36

we were lucky Owllady. Ours stopped being broody 2 days before we left for our holiday. She just came out of the coop one morning with the others.....still a bit touchy though!

LabradorMama · 12/09/2013 15:45

Like a pp we use a dog crate attached to the wall so plenty of airflow underneath to keep her belly from getting warm. 48 hours in there with no food sorts them right out!

DeckSwabber · 12/09/2013 22:29

I just turf mine out and they seem to get over it. Depends on the breed, I understand. Not all breeds go broody or make good mothers.

teaselweasel · 13/09/2013 07:04

Are your hens bantams? They go broody at the sight of an egg and are frequently used for hatching eggs due to their broodiness. I have 8 bantam hens and nothing seems to stop the broodiness.i just keep turfing them off the nest and locking them out so they have to wander around the garden but they just find a nice spot on the ground to sit all day. Must try the wire bottom cage..

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