Broody chicken!

[dilbertina]

I have a new problem! My hens are now about 6 months old and I think one is going broody!

She is still laying, but after she lays she sits in nest box and won't come out for hours. If I disturb her she does this scary chicken thing where she makes weird noise and makes herself look 3 times the size fluffung her feathers out to try and scare me away. She tries to peck if I take the eggs away from under her.

Any tips shortening the broody period? (we have no cockerel, and no space for more chickens so am unable to let nature take its course!) I read somewhere that someone suggests putting ice-cubes under a broody to lower temperature and put them off - would this be mean?!

Definitely broody! You need to make sure she eats - lift her out and put her by food and water - broody hens can get malnourished! You could try closing off the nest box so she can't get in there, or I have heard of people giving them cold baths...but I don't know if that works or just annoys them!

thanks TS, how long does broodiness last generally? and don't they usually stop laying?

hmmm I hope the other 2 don't start! She is still going out in morning before she lays her egg and eating and drinking so don't think starvation will be a problem yet.

She wouldn't even be tempted out with corn though yesterday afternoon - most unusual as she's normally top chicken and the others get leftovers!

Interestingly she'll happily sit on one of the other chickens eggs but not on the eggs of the "runt" - perhaps I should try putting them under her as she patently finds them so repulsive!

I don't know dilbertina - mine so far (touchwood) haven't gone broody! You could always get some fertile eggs and stick them under her!

Keep lifting her off the nest and remove the eggs - at least daily but if she's pinching the other hens eggs then 2 or 3 times a day. Wear thick gardening gloves if she's too pecky. With a hen this young (hens are best aged over 1 year before breeding) she may snap out of it quickly.

If she's very persistent, you can use the 'sin bin' method to literally cool her down. Keeping her in a wire cat basket/pet carrier, raised off the floor on bricks and without bedding will do the trick. Much the same principle as using ice cubes or a cold bath I suppose but with less squawking!

I have a broody too. It's been a week now at least. She keeps pinching the others egges to sit on. I turf her out several times a day but she doesn't stay out for long. I can only close off the nest box once the others have laid their eggs. I feel quite sorry for her as she was quite distressed at being shut out for half the day.
Next time this happens I'm tempted to get some fertile eggs for her as she is taking it fairly seriously and I reckon she would make a great mum.

not going to plan! The broody one always lays last so after other 2 had laid I put one of those blue freezer pack things in the bottom of the nestbox - now it can't be comfortable getting a frozen under-carriage! Unfortunately, she is very determind and sat on egg and icepack for couple of hours until I turfed her out (she really can be quite scary when she puffs up and makes strange noises!) - I have an old wooden box as a nest box so have now taken it out of house altogether.....

At least she is still laying, but the eggs do seem to be getting smaller and smaller....

She has now stopped laying and is still broody. Have now started dipping her bottom in cold water as supposedly this snaps them out of it - she doesn't seem to mind! A childs wheelbarrow is the perfect size and shape for this maneouvre! - Although word of warning - do not put a fresh egg in your pocket and then commence chicken catching and dunking as the obvious WILL happen!