Fanciers to make a setting hen quit setting do this Take a metal rabbit cage and hang eye level so you can feed and water easily. In the corner put a 2"x4" that is 18 inches long and then put the feeder and waterer only in the cage. Now insert the setting hen. She will try and sit in the corner but to no vail. Now when you come to the barn and see her setting on the 2x4 then she will be broke. Leave there for two more days and at night take and put her in the chicken house on the roost. She will go back to laying in a few weeks. Also the hens laying cycle is every 21 days, so she will renew her cycle and start again. Glenda L. heywood nationalpoultrynews@yahoo.com

-- GLHeywood (nationalpoultrynews@yahoo.com), June 21, 2001

Answers

cool idea. I have one that is starting to get depressed so I gave her a plastic egg for the time being while I get my act together to get some chicks to stick under her. If I can't find some chicks, I'll give this a try. Thanks

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), June 21, 2001.

If your "depressed" hen is broody and has been for a while, make sure she is getting off her nest at least once a day to get some food and water, even if you have to pick her up and put her away from the nest. Some hens will set themselves to death.

-- Laura Jensen (lrjensen@nwlink.com), June 24, 2001.