Hen Behavior
My hens are broody, what should I do?
A broody hen wants to sit on eggs and hatch them. If you do not want her to stay broody, the goal is to make the nesting routine less comfortable for her.
Break the broody behavior by making her less comfortable
If your hen is broody and you do not want her to continue sitting, you will need to make her uncomfortable enough that she gives up the nesting behavior.
One common method is to separate her from the other hens and place her in a suspended wire cage in a well-lit area for a few days.
Separate Her
Remove the broody hen from the nesting area and separate her from the other hens.
Use a Wire Cage
Place her in a suspended wire cage so she cannot settle into a warm, comfortable nest.
Keep Her in the Light
Keeping her in a lighted area for a few days can help discourage broody behavior.
Steps to help break broodiness
Move her away from the nesting box so she cannot continue sitting.
Keep her separate from the other hens while you work on breaking the broody behavior.
A wire cage helps keep air moving underneath her and makes it harder for her to stay comfortable.
Leave her in the setup for a few days, then watch to see if she returns to normal behavior.
Make sure she still has food and water
While she is separated, make sure she has access to clean water and appropriate feed at all times.
Broody hens can often be corrected by removing them from the nest, separating them, and keeping them in a suspended wire cage in the light for a few days.