Breaking a broody hen can feel like a challenging task, especially during the cooler months when you least expect this behavior to emerge. My first encounter with a Buff Orpington named Broody Betty was quite the strange occurrence. Her sudden disposition shift from a sweet, docile hen to a growling, hissing ball of feathers left me startled. This transformation stems from hormonal changes that spark a natural desire to incubate eggs, even when there are no fertilised eggs or a rooster involved. The good news is with the right strategies, you can effectively manage and safely discourage this behavior, ensuring a healthy productive flock.
To tackle broodiness, it’s crucial to understand its signs a hen puffing up her feathers, aggressively pecking at threats, and persistently sitting on an empty nest. I’ve found success using practical tips like removing her from the nest, offering her a cool space during spring or fall or creating a makeshift barrier. While this process might seem inhumane, it’s essential to prevent health risks such as neglecting her well-being. By following these detailed steps, you can gently guide your hen away from her instinctual behavior while keeping your flock safe and happy.
What is a Broody Hen?
A broody hen is a determined momma who tries to hatch eggs and raise chicks, even if there are no eggs to hatch. This is a natural, instinctual behavior often triggered by hormonal changes in her body during springtime when the weather warms and daylight hours increase.
You’ll notice her collecting eggs, sitting on them to keep them warm and even plucking feathers to build a nest. A broody hen can become aggressive with fluffed feathers, nasty looks and protective pecks to keep anyone away from her safe, dark, protected area.
Why It Matters
When a hen is broody, she might leave her nest only 1-2 times a day to eat, drink or take a large, stinky poop before rushing back to her nesting box. Over time, she may lose weight, stop laying eggs and weaken, which can affect her overall health. Look for signs such as clucks warning flock members or her flattened posture in the nest. Taking action early ensures your hen stays healthy while maintaining harmony in your chickens’ flock.
Can a Broody Hen Die?
During the summer months, when the temperature is hot, a broody hen like my Mrs. Fluffybum, a Black Jersey Giant, can face serious risks. Broodiness makes hens incredibly determined to stay on their nest, often refusing to leave to stay cool or get hydrated. This behavior is more common in warmer weather but not uncommon in colder months.
Without proper care, such as using effective tricks to break their focus, these stubborn chickens can lose weight and become weak, risking their health over their instinct to hatch chicks. Keeping an eye on these amazing birds during those critical days is key to ensuring their well-being.
How Can You Break a Broody Hen?
Discouraging Broody Behavior
Breaking a broody hen requires persistence and consistency. One of the best methods is to collect eggs frequently to discourage her from gathering a clutch or settling in her nesting area. A broody hen often becomes stubborn, refusing to leave her spot for several days.
Start by gently removing her from the nest multiple times a day, ensuring she doesn’t stay too long in a comfortable position. If she’s still brooding, you can place objects like a bucket to block her return. Cooling the nesting area with a frozen water bottle is another effective way to lower her hormones and break the cycle.
Using a Broody Breaker
For a more determined hen, a broody breaker cage, sometimes referred to as a jail, works wonders. This cage should have proper food and water, with flooring options like wire bottoms, sand or shredded paper to prevent nesting. The airflow helps cool her breast, making her less inclined to sit. If she panics or starts pacing, don’t give in, even for a small break, as letting her back into the coop could prolong the process.
Final Tips
Always check her food, water, and clean out any stinky poops. If she manages to form a nest with the litter, replace it with something less comfortable. With these efficient methods, you’ll keep your chicken healthy and back to normal soon.
Cooling Method to Break Broodiness
One of the more extreme measures for breaking broodiness is to dip the hens’ bottom in cold water, but it’s only recommended if all other options fail. Avoid this during winter months as the shock can be hard on their system. If you choose this method, make sure the hen doesn’t stay wet for long. Use a blow-dryer to dry her off immediately, which many hens actually enjoy. This approach has seen success in stubborn cases, but it’s best kept as a last resort.
Broody Breeds of Chickens
Certain breeds of chickens are more susceptible to becoming broody, and this can be an issue if your goal is consistent egg production. Breeds like Silkies, while adorable, silly and incredibly sweet, are known for their strong mothering instincts and frequent broodiness. Other breeds such as Cochins, Buff Orpingtons, Light Brahmas and Sussex are also prone to sitting on nests and attempting to hatch eggs.
For those who want to sustain an abundant, self-perpetuating flock, these breeds are an excellent choice because of their positive trait of caring for chicks. However, if you prefer consistent egg production over raising chicks, avoiding these breeds might save you from the extra effort of breaking their broodiness.
How Long Does it Take to Break a Broody Hen?
Breaking a persistent broody hen can take a few days to over a week, depending on how strong her tendencies are. You can test her behavior by letting her out of the breaker to see if she starts resuming her broody habits. When the hen begins eating, drinking and pooping like normal, it’s a sign that her hormones are lowering and she’s cooling down.
If the broody phase lasted a long period, she might even go through a natural molt before returning to laying eggs. After breaking broodiness, a separated hen might need to be re-integrated into the flock to avoid bullying especially if she was low in the pecking order.
Alternative Methods to the Broody Breaker
- Carry the hen out of her nesting box and let cool air flow under her feathers and onto her breast.
- Distract her with healthy snacks, table scraps, or the opportunity to free-range.
- Remove the litter from her nest to prevent her from building a comfy spot.
- Block the coop or specific areas to break her focus.
- Give the hen a refreshing bath in cool water to lower her temperature and let her preen her wet feathers dry.
- Use daytime quarantine by placing her in a tractor or pen with access to food, shade, and protection from predators.
- At night, allow her to rejoin the flock but block access to the nesting box.
- Block access to specific spots where the hen prefers to brood, such as the droppings boards or corner of the enclosure.
Signs of a Broody Hen
When a hen becomes broody, there are a few tell-tale signs to observe. She may start staying closer to the coop, stop eating her normal feed, and avoid the other hens. One of the biggest signs is when a docile hen suddenly becomes nasty, hissing or pecking at her fellow mates.
She may even fluff up and threaten other chickens. If you notice this behavior, it’s likely she’s about to start collecting eggs, often stealing them from the nest or nesting boxes. She will tuck the eggs under her wing, carry them to her decided spot, and return for more. In my experience, I once had a Broody Betty who managed to steal 15 eggs out of 22 hens that day, a clear sign of her broodiness.
If you notice these behaviors, it’s important to start collecting eggs often. If she doesn’t have any eggs to sit on, you may be able to stop the cycle before it fully begins. Free range chickens can also show a drop in egg production if there’s a broody hen hiding somewhere on your property. Catching her early will save you time and help prevent the full onset of broodiness.
Remove the Eggs
To stop a broody hen like Broody Betty, start by removing eggs from under her. This is an important step to break the cycle of broodiness. Gently reach under her and pull out the eggs, being careful not to lift or push her off the nest, as this may create a cranky hen.
If you try to approach from the front, she might peck at you, so it’s better to go in from the backside. After removing the eggs, some hens may wander off, while others may pout or even cry. This technique works best when done consistently, and after a few attempts, the hen may decide that sitting on chicks isn’t worth the trouble anymore.
Remove the Bedding
One effective way to discourage a broody hen is by removing the bedding from her nest. Hens who are planning on sitting for weeks want to be comfortable, and without bedding the nest becomes uncomfortable, like a hard board. If you have multiple laying hens make sure to leave the bedding in the other nesting boxes.
This prevents the broody hen from jumping to another spot, especially since she may prefer a particular box to sit in. By removing the bedding from that box, you’ll make it less inviting for her to continue sitting, helping break the broody cycle.
FAQs
1. What is a broody hen?
A broody hen is one that becomes overly focused on sitting on eggs to hatch them, even if the eggs aren’t fertilized. She will often stay on the nest, not wanting to leave.
2. How long does it take to break a broody hen?
Breaking a broody hen can take anywhere from a few days to a week. The time depends on the hen’s persistence and how effective your methods are.
3. What methods can I use to break a broody hen?
You can try removing eggs regularly, changing her nesting bedding, or using a broody breaker to discourage her behavior. Each method works differently for every hen.
4. Why is my hen so broody?
Broody hens are simply following their natural instincts to incubate and protect eggs. Some breeds are more prone to broodiness than others, such as Silkies and Cochins.
5. Can a broody hen be harmful to other hens?
Yes, broody hens can become aggressive and territorial, especially when they try to defend their nesting area. They may also steal eggs from other hens.
Conclusion
To break a broody hen, it’s important to have consistency and determination. Managing a flock requires patience, especially when dealing with hens that are set in their habit. During this time, providing support like Flock Fixer, a vitamin-rich additive, can help by hydrating and restoring essential nutrients to boost their immune system. Balancing their digestive health and reducing stress will aid in getting them back to normal quicker. Although the process may require some stubbornness, once the hens are comfortable, they will leave their broody behavior behind.
