[charente]

One of our hens is sitting and in the zone, but there are no eggs. She is a bit of a loner. Is she mad? How do we stop her sitting and become part of the flock again? Do other hens do this?

[Cluckinggoodpoultry]

Have had that happened a few times this year with mainly my scots dumpy's they are a bit mad, but then again aren't we all 

One suggestion from a friend of mine was to cool her down by putting ice bags underneath, I believe she got that one from practical poultry. Didn't try it, just moved them pecking and screaming to a dog cage with food and water for a few days and that broke the broodiness. I had one that was actually making herself ill by continually going broody. Hope that helps 

[charente]

thanks for that, I shall try keeping her away from her nest, she is a large white sussex.

[CameronS]

I would try the ice cubes or dunk her quicley into a bucket of water, it's much faster, if you do separate her into a pen we were told to give her only water, as food keeps the body temp at a more regular temp u want it cooler, if they fail try penning her on a woooden crate or on a raised up dog cage on bricks so the air current gets under her, they worked for my LS and Buff Orpingtons

[charente]

Going on advice from here, I made a wire cage put my mad hen in it and then placed it in the chicken hut off the floor for three days with mais and water. After three days I let her go free. She is cured, no more sitting on nothing and she has now intergrated with the others and not trying to escape. This proves to me you can train a hen and break habits.
Thank you.