I know everyone says to let broody hens sit, but mine cost me a whole month of egg production

My Buff Orpington, Bertha, went broody in early April and refused to break for 31 days straight, even after trying all the usual tricks. Has anyone else had a hen hold on that stubbornly, and what finally worked for you?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_gray3mo ago

31 days straight" is a serious commitment from a hen. I read about a guy who had to use a wire-bottom cage for a full week to finally break his. It's a pain but sometimes you have to get that extreme.

the_seth3mo ago

Try fake eggs in the nest box first.

harper_wells1mo ago

Oh man, I've heard about that wire-bottom cage trick too. I read somewhere that it's not super common but some people swear by it after everything else fails. I mean, I'd be worried about the hen's feet getting sore or something, but I guess a week isn't that long. Idk, maybe the fake eggs approach is worth trying first before going full extreme mode. I feel like there's a balance between breaking the habit and not stressing the bird out too much.