Chicken boarders

[AndyRoo]

None of our girls have gone broody, but I have a question if one of them does:

 

Will the hen eventually stop being broody on her own, even if you take no intervention?

 

Surely there must come a point where she just thinks "This is a waste of time!" when nothing hatches?

[Cat tails]

They normally do give up at one point, although some take quite a while. My two Dutch bantams are currently broody and have been for the past two weeks or so. They normally give up after about 3 weeks. Although I had one hen back on the nest the same week, last year.

I drag them off the nest a few times a day. Put a pot in the nesting box when I know Ginger isn't laying. (She lays every other day) and that's about it. The first time put Merel in a broody cage, but gave up after four days of screaming and Leentje going broody as well. Wasn't going to stick 2 hens in... The cage is now in use as a planter

[Hippie Chick]

I currently have my Araucana in the 'sin bin'! My experience is that she started off being broody for a couple of weeks then stopped by herself, by the end of her first year she was 10 weeks into a broody stint and still going strong - it was getting inconvenient for the other chickens and for me plus she was losing condition so I bought a broody cage. Stuck her in it and she stopped being broody overnight - I think she was pretty scared at first and shocked herself out of it.

 

Now she loves her broody cage and voluntarily returns to it by herself- I think she feels special! It stops her being broody within 3 days, I let her out to free range with the others late afternoon then she goes back in at night.

[Sil-El]

Our lovely speckledy hen Kelly has gone broody again

 

She did this last year, the first time for about 6 weeks and the second time for about a week. So far this time it's been just over a week

 

We take her out several times a day to make sure she's getting food, water and exercise but for the most part we tend to leave her to it and let nature take it's course - although last year we did resort to ice blocks in the nest box when she was showing no sign of moving after 6 weeks - that did the trick!

[The Dogmother]

None of our girls have gone broody, but I have a question if one of them does:

 

Will the hen eventually stop being broody on her own, even if you take no intervention?

 

Surely there must come a point where she just thinks "This is a waste of time!" when nothing hatches?

 

Don't bank on it!!! Not until she's starved herself, got too hot and attracted lice, and put all the other birds off laying in the nest box just pop her in the broody cage and sort her out - sooner, the better.

[mullethunter]

I have my first broody (Penny the Wyandotte bantam) in the cage of shame as of this morning

[The Dogmother]

Perversely, one of my Blue Angels has had a couple of broody episodes; they are half Araucana, which tends not to be a broody breed. Mind you, she is pretty stupid!!!!

[Monty14]

Usually lasts 3 weeks in the broody stage but they take about another 4-6 weeks after that to pay again depending on breed. I usually lift my broody hen out and try to tempt her with some corn or mealworm as they must eat and drink.

[JCress19]

Last year our Speckeldy hen went broody during the hot weather we had and was broody for 6 weeks! She did eventually stop, but we had to physically remove her from the nesting box each day to ensure she ate and drank and then shut her out. Tried using ice and awkward obstacle but that didn't work in this case!

[Lewis]

As others have said, they will sit there for several weeks attracting mites!

 

3 days and nights in a broody crate soon sorts them out. Much better for you and her