Broody w/the Attitude! 😂

[Nerdmom81]

I currently have two broody hens, but the one pictured here (named Cruella) has been SO moody and even when I remove her from the coop to try to get her off the nest to free range (which she used to love wandering more than anyone else) she just stalks the chicken run for how to get back inside.

This behavior has gone on for a couple of weeks now. Should I just let her try to hatch some eggs? I don’t think she’s going to stop otherwise!

 

[Mrs. K]

Hatching eggs is very fun... but then there is the subtraction part of chicken math that is NOT fun. So what is the plan for extra roosters, how many hens do you have in how much space?

But if you have answers for all of those, I am all about hatching says the woman that ordered 25 chicks, got 28, sold 14 (so that helped) and two weeks later stuck 7 under a broody, and am now currently making lists of who stays and who goes by October.

Mrs K

 

[Nerdmom81]

Hatching eggs is very fun... but then there is the subtraction part of chicken math that is NOT fun. So what is the plan for extra roosters, how many hens do you have in how much space?

But if you have answers for all of those, I am all about hatching says the woman that ordered 25 chicks, got 28, sold 14 (so that helped) and two weeks later stuck 7 under a broody, and am now currently making lists of who stays and who goes by October.

Mrs K

Well, my husband built our coop to be able to hold up to 100. We currently have 40. Then there’s a large chicken run that houses a duck house and we free range them too, so I know we have plenty of room although with the cost of feed I wouldn’t want to keep a ton more.

We have 2 roo’s currently so maybe 1 more Roo is fine. Hopefully we can rehome the majority of them to family, friends, or locally.

 

[Nerdmom81]

So this morning I moved the two broody hens to our garage area in our dog kennels as it’s the only area I can really safely put them for now.

Made sure to provide water and food access close by and have a fan out there to help with air circulation. It’s a finished garage so temp isn’t different than outdoors already is (super hot).

One mama (the one pictured here) got right down to business and is setting on her clutch of 12 eggs like a champ. The other one seems confused by the move so maybe this movement will have broken her as she isn’t sitting on eggs for the first time in 2 weeks or more! Will see what happens.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

So this morning I moved the two broody hens to our garage area in our dog kennels as it’s the only area I can really safely put them for now.

Made sure to provide water and food access close by and have a fan out there to help with air circulation. It’s a finished garage so temp isn’t different than outdoors already is (super hot).

One mama (the one pictured here) got right down to business and is setting on her clutch of 12 eggs like a champ. The other one seems confused by the move so maybe this movement will have broken her as she isn’t sitting on eggs for the first time in 2 weeks or more! Will see what happens.

Did she ever sit back down?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I have a hen who has been broody for a month and a half now almost. She’s okay - I’ve been making her get up and walk and eat, so she’s not starving. But she won’t stop being broody. No matter where I move her or what I do. She’s currently in a coop where she has no access to a nesting box, and she walks around all day and eats. But if I let her back into the coop with the box she beelines for the nest.
She’s quite something. I’ll let her adopt babies next year.

 

[Nerdmom81]

Did she ever sit back down?

Yes! I placed all the eggs in a nesting box for her and she’s right back to it now!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Yes! I placed all the eggs in a nesting box for her and she’s right back to it now!

That’s good! What breeds/mixes are the broodies hatching?

 

[Nerdmom81]

I have a hen who has been broody for a month and a half now almost. She’s okay - I’ve been making her get up and walk and eat, so she’s not starving. But she won’t stop being broody. No matter where I move her or what I do. She’s currently in a coop where she has no access to a nesting box, and she walks around all day and eats. But if I let her back into the coop with the box she beelines for the nest.
She’s quite something. I’ll let her adopt babies next year. View attachment 3153832

Aww haha I’m sure mine would’ve done the same. I’ve been trying to get her out of the mindset for weeks and it hasn’t worked so I figure I’m able to just let her get it out of her system. I’m sure I can rehome the chicks (or process them when they are older) if I need to.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Aww haha I’m sure mine would’ve done the same. I’ve been trying to get her out of the mindset for weeks and it hasn’t worked so I figure I’m able to just let her get it out of her system. I’m sure I can rehome the chicks (or process them when they are older) if I need to.

I don’t have a rooster, so as much as I want to I can’t let her hatch anything. And I’m done with chicks for this year.
She’s only 2, and has done this every spring. I’m sure she will become just as vehemently broody next year, so I will purchase pullet chicks for her and sell them when they are old enough and she has weaned them.

She’s a Dominique hen, so not even a very broody breed.
But BOY is she broody. Quite aggressive when I try to remove her eggs.