Sophie Bennett
A broody hen is a female chicken that is determined to sit on eggs with the intention of incubating them to hatch. While brooding, hens usually only leave the nest once or twice a day to eat, drink, and go to the bathroom. This behaviour can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. It is therefore important to break the cycle as soon as you notice broody behaviour. There are several ways to break a broody hen, including removing the hen from her nest and placing her outside with the rest of her flock, placing her in a broody breaker cage or chicken jail, and dunking their breast/belly in water to cool them down.
Characteristics of how to break a chicken from being broody
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Remove from nest | Carry the chicken outside to the rest of the flock. |
| Collect eggs | Take away any eggs from the nest to remove the temptation for the chicken to sit on them. |
| Chicken jail | Confine the chicken to a wire-bottomed cage with food and water but no bedding. |
| Cooling down | Dunk the chicken's breast/belly in water to cool them down and reduce broody hormones. |
| Separate at night | Block off access to the nesting boxes at night. |
| Change of scenery | Put the chicken in a separate pen during the day to discourage broodiness. |
| Bribe | Offer cracked corn to incentivise the chicken to stop brooding. |
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What You'll Learn
- Physically remove the chicken from the nest and place it outside with the rest of the flock
- Dunk the chicken's breast/belly in water to cool down the area
- Confine the chicken to a wire-bottomed cage
- Collect eggs at least daily to reduce the likelihood of broodiness
- Choose breeds that are less prone to broodiness, such as Barred Rocks or Leghorns
Physically remove the chicken from the nest and place it outside with the rest of the flock
If your chicken has gone broody, it means she thinks she's going to be a mother. You'll find her collecting eggs, sitting on them to keep them warm, and turning them. She'll only leave the nest once or twice a day to eat, drink, and relieve herself. This behaviour can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. It can also cause her to lose feathers and stop laying eggs. Therefore, it is important to break her broodiness as soon as you notice this behaviour.
One way to do this is to physically remove the chicken from the nest and place her outside with the rest of the flock. When you take a broody hen away from her nest, she may comply for a few minutes and use that time to eat, drink, and relieve herself. Once finished, she will insist on returning to her nest. So, when you remove her from the nest, you should carry her around for 10-15 minutes before placing her outside with the rest of the flock. If there are eggs in the nest, collect them right away so that she can't continue sitting on them. Try to collect every egg as soon as it's laid to remove any temptation for the chicken to sit on them.
Some chickens may only need a few times of being physically removed from the nest and carried outside to break their broodiness. They may also benefit from a little bribe of cracked corn, which will help them see the benefits of not brooding. However, some chickens may need a different treatment.
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Dunk the chicken's breast/belly in water to cool down the area
When a hen goes broody, it means that she thinks she's going to be a mother. She will collect eggs and sit on them to keep them warm, turning them and pecking at anyone who tries to get in her way. Broody hens only leave their nests 1-2 times a day to eat, drink, and relieve themselves. They may even pluck their own feathers to build their nests. This behaviour can be unhealthy for the hen, as they lose feathers and weight and stop laying eggs. In hot weather, the increased temperature combined with their elevated body temperature can lead to heat stroke or even heat-related death.
To break a broody hen, you need to cool her off to lower her body temperature and reset her hormones. One way to do this is to dunk their breast/belly in water to cool that area down. This method is known as the water trick and has been found to be effective by some chicken owners. When performing the water trick, it is important to only dunk the chicken's lower half in cool water for a minute or two and ensure that it is warm and dry outside. This prevents the chicken from getting too cold while still helping to lower their body temperature.
In addition to the water trick, there are other methods to cool down a broody hen. One method is to use a broody breaker, which is a separate enclosure that helps interrupt the hen's endocrine feedback loop. The broody breaker should be located in a cool area and have flooring that is not conducive to nesting, such as a wire bottom cage or rough litter like sand, cardboard, or shredded paper. It is important to provide food and water for the hen in the broody breaker but avoid giving her bedding that she could use for nesting.
Another way to cool down a broody hen is to use ice packs or frozen water bottles. These can be placed under the hen or wrapped in a towel or paper towel to avoid direct contact with her skin. By lowering the hen's body temperature, you can help reset her hormones and break the broodiness.
It is important to note that breaking a broody hen can take some time and consistency. Some chickens may spend several days in confinement before returning to their normal behaviour. Additionally, even after breaking a broody hen, she may not lay eggs for a few weeks as her body recovers from the hormonal changes.
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Confine the chicken to a wire-bottomed cage
If your chicken has gone broody, it means that she thinks she's going to be a mother. You will find her collecting eggs, sitting on them, turning them, and pecking at anyone who disturbs her. While brooding, hens only leave their nests once or twice a day to eat, drink, and relieve themselves. This behaviour can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. It can also cause feather loss as they pluck their own feathers to build their nests. Therefore, it is important to break the cycle as soon as you notice broody behaviour.
One way to break a chicken from being broody is to confine her to a wire-bottomed cage. This method is sometimes referred to as a "broody breaker" or "chicken jail". The cage should be placed in a cool location to help the hen cool down and be set up on sawhorses, blocks, or hung from the rafters to allow airflow underneath. It is important to provide food and water, but no bedding or nesting material. The hen should be kept in the cage for 3-4 days, and then let out one morning to observe her behaviour. If she returns to the nest, she will need more time in the broody breaker. If she rejoins her flock, her mood has changed.
Some chicken keepers prefer to use a dog crate or separate pen for confinement. The broody breaker should be placed in a cool, well-lit area to discourage the hen from staying broody. It is important to ensure the hen has food, water, shade, and protection from predators during confinement.
In addition to confinement, some chicken keepers recommend dunking the hen's breast/belly in water to cool down the area, as it gets hot when they are broody. This method can be used in conjunction with confinement to help break a chicken from being broody.
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Collect eggs at least daily to reduce the likelihood of broodiness
A hen goes broody when she wants to set continuously on a clutch of eggs for 21 days and have chicks hatch out. While brooding, hens usually leave the nest only once or twice a day to eat, drink, and relieve themselves. This behaviour can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. It can even cause heat-related death during hot summer weather. Therefore, it is important to break the cycle as soon as you notice broody behaviour.
One way to prevent broodiness is to collect eggs at least daily. The more eggs are left sitting in the nest, the more likely it will trigger the urge to brood them. If you have a lot of chickens, try to collect the eggs a few times per day if your schedule allows. When you take a broody hen away from her nest, she may comply for a few minutes and use that time to eat, drink, and relieve herself. Once finished, she will insist on returning to her nest regardless of whether there are eggs there or not.
If you have hatching eggs or baby chicks, you may consider using a broody hen. However, if you don't have chicks or eggs for the hen to tend to, it is best to break her of her broodiness. Breaking a broody hen refers to the process of cooling down a broody hen so that she no longer has the broody hormones running through her body. Once those hormones lower, the hen will go back to normal and resume laying.
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Choose breeds that are less prone to broodiness, such as Barred Rocks or Leghorns
If you're looking to keep chickens without having to deal with broodiness, consider breeds that are less prone to this behaviour, such as Barred Rocks or Leghorns.
Barred Rocks, also known as Barred Plymouth Rocks, are a dependable and beginner-friendly breed. They are hardy, friendly, and excellent layers, making them one of the most common chicken breeds. They are easy to raise, handle, and house, and they don't go broody easily, which is perfect if you're not planning to hatch chicks. They are also quiet and can tolerate confinement, making them a good choice for smaller spaces. Additionally, Barred Rocks are known for their curious nature, making them good foragers, but keep an eye out for predators as they can be easily caught by coyotes or bobcats.
Leghorns, classified as Mediterranean breeds, are typically non-setters or infrequent setters. They are light in weight and somewhat flighty. While they may occasionally decide to brood, they are not reliable as setters or mothers. However, they are known for their superior laying ability, so if egg production is your main goal, Leghorns may be a good choice.
Other breeds that are less prone to broodiness include Minorcas and Sicilian Buttercups.
Remember, while these breeds are less likely to exhibit broodiness, individual chickens may vary, and some may still display broody behaviour from time to time. If you do encounter a broody hen, there are several techniques you can use to break her broodiness without causing undue stress, such as cooling her down with water or providing alternative nesting arrangements.
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Frequently asked questions
A hen goes broody when she thinks she's going to be a mother. She will collect eggs, sit on them to keep them warm, and turn them. She may also pluck her own feathers to build her nest.
While brooding, a hen will only leave her nest once or twice a day to eat, drink, and go to the bathroom. This behaviour can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. In hot weather, it can also lead to heat stroke or heat-related death.
There are several methods to break a broody hen. One common method is to physically remove her from her nest and carry her outside to the yard where her flockmates are. Another method is to confine her to a cage or pen, provide food and water, but no bedding, and keep her there for 3-4 days.
It is important to act quickly when you notice a hen acting broody. The longer she's allowed to sit on eggs, the deeper into the cycle she'll get, and the more difficult it will be to break her. It is also important to collect eggs regularly to remove any temptation for the hen to sit on them.
