# broody hen



## herodotus (Nov 3, 2016)

I have a seven month old buff oppinpton hen that just went broody and is sitting on two eggs - My questions is since I have no rooster the eggs will not hatch correct ? Also since the eggs will not hatch without a rooster is it best to remove eggs from underneath her to discourage broodiness or leave eggs be on put a substitute egg underneath her like a golf ball etc? NIce to have a broody hen but not knowing what to do with her eggs so they will not haTCH without a rooster - thanx


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If you don't have a source for a couple of fertile eggs, remove those two and see if you can block her from that nest. Most won't break without a lot of effort and discomfort for them. I've never tried to break one of mine but I did relocate them or put a stubborn broody in with a young male that would harrass her.

And an FYI, even if you can get her out of the broodiness at her young age she will probably lay a couple of eggs right away and then go right back to being broody. It seems that when that complete cycle is not completed the hormones kick back in for them to go broody again until they get some chicks.

I actually go get day olds for my one because even at her advanced age still goes broody on a regular basis.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I would take the eggs out and what I used to do is lift them off their nest twice a day and put them near the food and water, and they snapped out of it except for the silkies, LOL


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I let mine go broody but kick them off at 3 wks.I usually remove the eggs,especially if my favorite hen wants to go broody in my dirty laundry basket(the only place she will lay anymore).Some breeds are more broody than others,my Cochins seem to always set but the EE's,BO and red hen never go broody.The most important thing to do is encourage them to eat and drink,they lose alot of weight and get dehydrated when setting.Pick her up and put her by the food and water once a day or 2.


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## herodotus (Nov 3, 2016)

update on my seven month old broody buff o hen-she was laying an egg every day for about a month and not sitting on the eggs -then she went broody on me and sat on 2 eggs for about a week - I removed the eggs and put her outside the coop - that has been about a week since and so far not more egg laying -any suggestions or timeline to get her back to laying ? thanx


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's late in the year. Many times they will stop laying due to the shorter daylight hours. Add in that she's been broody it could be a while before she lays again. Especially if she hasn't molted yet.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Like Robin said,it's a bad time of year for eggs.The shorter days affect laying.You can give them light and production goes up.I have a light on a timer in the coop.Right now it comes on at 5 pm and goes off at 10 but I haven't changed the time out there yet so it's an hour off.I will have it come on about 7 am and off at 8 pm,once I put food and water back in the coop.It's also molting season and the chickens are getting a lot of new feathers which uses a lot of energy and egg production suffers.And last,but not least,the broody.She is running on hormones and may not lay again for a while.After kicking Precious out,it's several weeks before she starts laying again and the older she gets the longer the wait for eggs.


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