Broody Bantams

[jacquih]

Over the last week,two of my Bantams have become broody,I only have 3 Bantams, and the two rarely leave the nesting box,luckily enough they let me slide my hands underneath them and take the eggs from them.
They do come out occasionally to feed,but my concern is the remaining Bantam who paces alone up and down the run,and sometimes seems distressed as its on its own most of the day.any advice please about what to do to stop the brooding.

Jacquih

[Mumma J]

I am by no means an expert but you could try removing your broodies a few times each day for them to eat and drink and this may also pacify your lonely hen for a while. Is the other hen laying? If so could you wait until all 3 have laid then remove the 2 broodies off the nests and shut the pop hole? That may shorten the length of the broody period and keep all the hens together as much as possible.
Otherwise you could just sit it out. I think they tend to stay broody for 3weeks max so it wont last forever.
Please anyone correct me if any of this advice is wrong, I'm not at all experienced in this!
Hope that helps even a little?

[Steve valentine]

Once my other hens have laid, I remove the broodys from the coop and close the pophole for the day. My broody tends to snap out of it in a week or so.

[serama1]

Hi Jacquih, I agree with Steve, if you don't have any hatching eggs and don't intend for the broodies to hatch eggs then I would take them away from the nesting box and close it, this will force them to be outside and start to get back to normal.

Note: i had a similar issue where one of my hens went broody and had a clutch of 10 eggs, but another chook also preferred to lay in the same spot and luckily the broody would allow me to collect the new eggs daily. Last night the eggs started to hatch, and to my horror this morning I found one of the chicks pecked to death by the other chook. So would suggest to separate if possible.

[beulah59]

I have four broody bantams occupying two nest boxes on no eggs at all! Silly girls. I chuck them out several times a day, but can't really shut the coop as I have two other girls one of which is still laying usually quite late in the day.