Dear Big Farmer Trev,
I had been warned about this with Silkies and it’s happened.
I have a broody hen.
I spent all weekend watching her trying to figure out why she is so grumpy.
She’s been laying an egg every day and getting mad as hell when I collect them.
Then she started walking about shouting and sulking and now she is mostly staying in her coop looking very upset.
I checked her over trying to figure out what on earth is wrong with her.
Physically she is in tip top condition.
My mate just walked outside and said ‘maybe she’s broody’
Then he said ‘I don’t actually know what that means, is that a thing?’
Pretty sure he is right.
So now I need your wisdom.
How do I ‘break’ a broody hen?
Or should I get her some chicks and shove them under her at night time?
Help!
Love Mads
Yup, she sure sounds broody to me! You have 3 options:
1: Let it run its course, after several weeks she will get over it.
2: Lock her out of her coop during the day so it forces her to scratch about rather than sitting inside looking grumpy. This sometimes helps decrease the duration of the broodiness by a day or two.
3: Get some fertilized eggs and put under her. Do NOT get some chicks already born, she will know they are not hers and won’t look after them. However if you get some fertilized eggs and put them in her nest, when they hatch she will think she is their mum and will act as such.
Good luck!
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