2 New behaviors-what the?!

[Lovemylilcluckers]

1st-In the last week my Cuckoo Maran (Sheila) has gone completely crazy Broody! Is there harm in letting her be broody? I keep kicking her out of the nesting boxes/blocking the nesting boxes/shutting the coop door, however I want the other chickens to still be able to lay in the nesting boxes. Is there harm in her actually being broody? I really don't have an area of the coop to do some of the "suggested broody breaking habits". I do have a chicken tractor-but won't she just become broody out there? I don't want my other chickens to get into a habit of laying outside or in other areas because I've blocked off he 3 nesting boxes. I have tried to block the nesting boxes with boxes/containers and she still somehow manages to move them/sit on top of them because she is so determined. She's She she such a nice/gentle gal that she does allow me to move her without pecking me but she fluffs up so much the she reminds me of a turkey.

2nd-My barred Rock just started roosting outside at night time at a lower roost under the coop. For 4 months she has gone inside like clockwork around 8:00-8:30ish. I've got out there around 11 and found her outside solo perching under the coop on the roost. I keep picking her up and putting her inside but we are on day #6 and curious why she would change this habit?

 

[LRH97]

There is no harm in letting her brood. However, you should either let her hatch eggs (yours will be fertile if you have a roo, or you can obtain fertile eggs from another source) or break her. Letting a hen be perpetually broody is very straining on their health. If you wish to break her, I'd suggest moving her into the chicken tractor with no litter down anywhere. If she hasn't been broody very long, the change of scenery itself may be enough to do the trick. Broodies are usually pretty picky about their nests, so a few days away from a comfy nest with eggs usually works. Note that the longer you let her set, the harder she will be to break.

In regards to your BR, a number of things could be the reason why she picked another spot to roost. It could be that she's low in the pecking order, getting picked on, and decided to roost outside, or that she simply decided she likes roosting there better. Be persistent in putting her in the coop. She'll get the point after a while. A few of my newest additions still try to sleep in a clump outside. They usually start going into the coop within a couple of weeks, usually less.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

My understanding, from learning here, is that unless you aren't going to give her chicks to raise, you don't want her to stay broody because sitting eggs is stressful to the hen. She doesn't eat anywhere as much as she normally would, and they often lose weight. If she stays broody for too long, without results (i.e. a family of chicks) she can do harm to herself.

 

[aart]

As much of a PITA it might be to set up a broody breaker cage,
it will be well worth your time and effort.
This is what I use https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rates-a-good-tool-for-every-chickeneer.72619/
Figuring out where to put it day and night is the next step, your coop not being big enough for a crate. Is there a spot that's close to the flock, at least during the day, that is weather and predator proof? Them maybe another spot for night time?

As for the outdoor roosting.....
How big is your coop in feet by feet, how many birds?
Pics would help.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Before a hen even starts laying eggs she build sup additional fat. That fat is primarily what she lives on when broody. They don't need to eat and drink as much when broody because of that fat. They will lose weight but since it is just fat intended for that purpose, that's not a big deal.

But eventually that fat runs out. Some hens will break from being broody at that point but some don't. Then they can harm themselves staying broody. When she is broody she is not laying eggs and sometimes can disrupt the flock a bit so I don't want a broody in my flock unless she is hatching eggs or raising chicks. In my opinion if you are not going to give her eggs to hatch or day-old chicks to raise your best option is to break her from being broody.

My preferred method is the raised cage with wire bottom method, but you can at least try that tractor. At least it should be predator roof. Is there some way you could put some kind of area with a wire floor in it you could lock her in? She needs food and water but not a lot of room. In my opinion this method causes he least amount of disruption to the rest of your flock.

It's unlikely that BR roosting outside has anything to do with that broody hen but maybe? A broody can disrupt the pecking order a bit, some of that depends on where she was in the pecking order.

Aart asked some good questions. I'll also ask their age and if they are laying. Something has changed to cause that BR to change her sleeping habits. Chickens normally don't like change. My guess is that something may have happened to frighten her while she is in there or, more likely, one of the other higher-ranking chickens started picking in her on the roost and she went to look for a safer place to sleep. As it sounds like you may have a small coop it my just be overcrowded.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed, it's not normal for your BR to be choosing to sleep on a LOWER roost. I'd do a thorough coop inspection for red mites. They live in the coop, and come out at night to feast on the bird, do not live ON the bird. She may be sleeping outside b/c of bullying, b/c the coop is too warm, not ventilated enough.

As for the broody, do what ever it takes to set up a broody buster, even if you have to beg/borrowor buy a dog crate, and build her a temporary run. Every poultry owner should be prepared for the eventual need of separating a bird for broodiness or any other reason. Your chicken tractor could be pressed into service for that use, i imagine.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, I did not think to check for mites. Good catch.

 

[NewChickmom2016]

I played the "pull the hen out of the next box" and "block the box" for a couple of days - no help she did whatever she could to get back in there! Then I got a wire dog crate- put it up on blocks and her in it - 2 1/2 days and she was all done with her broodiness.
No eggs from her for 17 days.
Next time- right in the cage for her!

 

[Lovemylilcluckers]

As much of a PITA it might be to set up a broody breaker cage,
it will be well worth your time and effort.
This is what I use https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rates-a-good-tool-for-every-chickeneer.72619/
Figuring out where to put it day and night is the next step, your coop not being big enough for a crate. Is there a spot that's close to the flock, at least during the day, that is weather and predator proof? Them maybe another spot for night time?

As for the outdoor roosting.....
How big is your coop in feet by feet, how many birds?
Pics would help.

The physical coop is 4.5x4.5 not including the nesting boxes and the run is 12x12 feet. I have an extra dog crate but it's the plastic kind. I just went and bought a metal crate and will try the broody breaking tips! Thanks!

 

[Lovemylilcluckers]

Before a hen even starts laying eggs she build sup additional fat. That fat is primarily what she lives on when broody. They don't need to eat and drink as much when broody because of that fat. They will lose weight but since it is just fat intended for that purpose, that's not a big deal.

But eventually that fat runs out. Some hens will break from being broody at that point but some don't. Then they can harm themselves staying broody. When she is broody she is not laying eggs and sometimes can disrupt the flock a bit so I don't want a broody in my flock unless she is hatching eggs or raising chicks. In my opinion if you are not going to give her eggs to hatch or day-old chicks to raise your best option is to break her from being broody.

My preferred method is the raised cage with wire bottom method, but you can at least try that tractor. At least it should be predator roof. Is there some way you could put some kind of area with a wire floor in it you could lock her in? She needs food and water but not a lot of room. In my opinion this method causes he least amount of disruption to the rest of your flock.

It's unlikely that BR roosting outside has anything to do with that broody hen but maybe? A broody can disrupt the pecking order a bit, some of that depends on where she was in the pecking order.

Aart asked some good questions. I'll also ask their age and if they are laying. Something has changed to cause that BR to change her sleeping habits. Chickens normally don't like change. My guess is that something may have happened to frighten her while she is in there or, more likely, one of the other higher-ranking chickens started picking in her on the roost and she went to look for a safer place to sleep. As it sounds like you may have a small coop it my just be overcrowded.

I've also considered maybe getting two/three day old chicks for her to help the broodyness this time but was trying to figure out another solution first! I will try the broody breaking cage technique first