seaton Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 One of our girls keeps going broody, this is the third time this year, she'd only just started laying again! Is this unusual, and is there anything we can do to stop it? Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I think some hens are just more broody than others. Good luck with breaking her again. I've just had a broody hen and they make you feel so guilty when you try to stop them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daj198 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 What breed is she? Some are more prone to broodiness than others (e.g. Bantams). How long is it between laying of the eggs and you collecting them? Sometimes leaving the eggs in the nest box for a while will cause a hen to go broody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Some advice re broody hens **here**. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Ah! What breed is she? Also worth reading that information Egluntyne has given you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaton Posted July 29, 2010 Author Share Posted July 29, 2010 Thanks for your comments. We are not sure what breed she is, she's a bantam but a bit of a mix! We are doing the usual, shutting off the nesting box to prevent her staying in there, but she just sits in the house then on the bars all day! I am taking her out when I can to make sure she is getting food and water. I just wish there was something we could do that might prevent her from going broody in the first place, she is quite aggressive to the other girls as well. It is difficult when we both work all day to remove the eggs as soon as they lay, so they are in there all day which I guess may not help. Thanks Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daj198 Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Bantams make good mums... unfortunately for you that results in a broody hen. I heard something about cooling them down somehow, which snaps them out of a broody spell. Not sure of the details... anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Wrap an icepack in a tea towel and put it under her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I have got the same problem with both my bantams. One in particular, Mabel the frizzle just seems to be in a permanent state of broodyness, and is in and out of the cooler, (wire pet carrier on bricks) so often, my OH calles her The Cooler Kid, like in The Great Escape. Each time this snaps her out of it, and she comes back into lay, but within a week she is broody again. Real problem with an Eglu Classic as if one is broody, the others can't get in to lay. She is driving me potty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rhode Island Red Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Get a bucket of cold water and dip her backside in it. They don't like it that much, but it works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
