As the heat turns up, so will the broodiness in some of your hens. The warm temperatures will sometimes encourage this behavior. If you have a rooster and want more baby chicks, this is a great time to take advantage of that! However, if you’re like me and don’t have a rooster, a broody hen is a pain in the feathers.
What is a Broody Hen?
I remember starting out and hearing veteran chicken keepers talk about “broody hens”, a brooder and other fancy chicken lingo. I honestly had no idea what they were talking about. And that’s why when I write these blogs, I’m always thinking about the rookie chicken keepers. Never feel bad about asking questions and getting the information you need!
A broody hen is one that thinks she’s going to hatch little chicks. Her behavior will reflect that. She will sit on a pile of eggs, “growl” at other chickens or people if they come near her, will sometimes pull her own feathers to make a nest, and only gets up once a day to eat, drink and poop.
These are all okay if she will actually hatch some chicks. However, if she doesn’t and you’re not planning for that, these behaviors can cause her to become unhealthy.
Broody hens can get dehydrated very quickly in hot temperatures and will naturally lose some weight and nutrition. And when they’re broody, they don’t lay eggs. So, if you’re not planning on having any baby chicks, it’s very important to “break” the broody hen as soon as possible.
3 Tips to Break a Broody Hen
There are many ways to approach this, but I’ve found that persistence and consistency work best without stressing the hen too much.
1. Collect Eggs Frequently
First, make sure to remove eggs from the nest often. The broody hen will try to gather a “clutch” of eggs, even stealing from other hens. By collecting eggs throughout the day, you discourage her from sitting on them.
2. Remove the Hen from the Nest
Carefully remove the hen from the nesting area. Her body may be a bit stiff from sitting, so handle her gently. Relocate her to a different area, preferably cooler. Some people put a frozen water bottle where the hen likes to sit to discourage brooding. I’ve also used objects like buckets or whatever I had in the coop to block the nest.
This may take several days of removing her from the nest—sometimes multiple times a day. If you’re worried about being pecked, wear gloves. Be consistent, and she will eventually break her broodiness.
3. (Optional) The Cold Water Method
As a last resort, you can try placing the hen’s bottom in cold water to shock her system. I don’t recommend this unless nothing else works, as it’s quite a shock for the hen. If you do try this, make sure to dry her off with a blow-dryer afterward—they actually love it!
Support for Your Broody Hen with Flock Fixer
Broody hens can become stressed, especially during hot weather, which can weaken their immune systems. Flock Fixer can be a great help during this time.
This vitamin-rich additive helps hydrate, restore vital nutrients and balance digestive health. By providing Flock Fixer, you’ll give your stressed hens the extra boost they need to stay healthy, even while they’re broody. It’s a simple way to support your flock and help them handle the challenges of broodiness more comfortably!
Is Broodiness Contagious?
Once one hen goes broody, it seems like all the others follow! If that happens, you’ll be busy removing hens from their nests. Haha! Baby chicks are a joy, and having a mama hen raise them is the easiest way to grow your flock. But if it’s not something you want, breaking the broody behavior is a must.
Until next time,
-The Wing Lady
Flock Fixer - Hydrate & Restore Health During Times of Challenge
You can’t always see it, but your flock will experience a weakened immune system during times of challenge. Flock Fixer is a vitamin-rich additive that helps hydrate, restore vital nutrients and balance digestive health.