Chicken won't leave the nesting box

[Juliev8r]

Yes this is what one of mine is doing!! Edwina In the nest now for two days. No poops or eggs in there. Other hens using the other nest box. I've taken her out numerous times. She clucks at me. Sometimes pecks around the yard a bit. Gets a drink fluffs up her feathers big scratches a bit picks at her feathers a bit and runs back into the nest. Night and day. I have no rooster and no desire for chicks right now. What do I do??

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Yes this is what one of mine is doing!! Edwina In the nest now for two days. No poops or eggs in there. Other hens using the other nest box. I've taken her out numerous times. She clucks at me. Sometimes pecks around the yard a bit. Gets a drink fluffs up her feathers big scratches a bit picks at her feathers a bit and runs back into the nest. Night and day. I have no rooster and no desire for chicks right now. What do I do??

Sometimes people can "break" a broody by putting her in a cage with a wire bottom (so as to keep her brood patch cool). This may need to be for a week. I have tried it for a couple of days and it failed. Some broodies will not be broken no matter what you do and they are so determined to raise chicks.

You may be able to even use a dog cage to do this if you have one sitting around. The change of scenery may be enough to break her...I don't know. I wouldn't spend money on it though as it may not work. Just my opinion.

You can just leave her alone and let her brood her imaginary future chicks if you want. I have had one broody hen die from brooding too long (I tried to break her by putting her in a hutch but it didn't work) and I just recently had one give up after a couple of months of brooding and go back to normal. I now have the facilities (a growout coop and pen) to put a broody in since I moved my chicks out of it - and have another broody! So I may be putting her in there soon if she keeps it up.

 

[Juliev8r]

I have three big dogs so I have a kennel with an open wire bottom that I could try. Can I just set it next to the run up on blocks and maybe cover part with a tarp in case it rains and so she has shade? She will be able to balance on those wires? Should I put a roost in there? I have a way to do that too. How will I know it works? Thanks for the feedback! Julie

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have three big dogs so I have a kennel with an open wire bottom that I could try. Can I just set it next to the run up on blocks and maybe cover part with a tarp in case it rains and so she has shade? She will be able to balance on those wires? Should I put a roost in there? I have a way to do that too. How will I know it works? Thanks for the feedback! Julie

She will need shade and protection from predators. I would put the kennel where a raccoon can't reach in to get her and pull her through the wire. I don't know how small the holes are in your kennel but rats and weasels can get through all but 1/2 inch openings and they kill chickens. So you may have to put her even in a garage or inside the run??

Put her in a safe spot- or inside the coop even if you have room.

 

[Juliev8r]

Ok. Set up the crate and she is in there cluck cluck clucking! probably put it in the garage at night. How will I know she is over it? J

 

[Juliev8r]

Goin on 30 days in the nest now for my hen... someone suggested that I give her two chicks and maybe she will think she has babies and get over it. So last night I snuck out at dusk and swapped out an egg she has been sitting on for two tiny chicks. She sat on them all night long with no problem, in the morning I went to check on them and she saw one of the chicks and she pecked at it a couple of times then she fluffed up and clucked and fled the coop! She then fled the whole run and ran across the property (my hens free range my 5 acres during the day) this is the first time she has left the nest on her own in 30 days. I took the chicks back into the house. Should I just forget it? Or maybe try again. I don't want her to kill one of them if I don't make sure its ok in there, but I don't want to be a presence that makes her leave the babies either. Any ideas? Thanks! Julie

 

[chickens47]

Thank you! This is so helpful. I was getting worried when last week my chicken was acting fine and I went out to go feed them and she had passed away. Glad/relieved to know my barred rock is just brooding

 

[chickens47]

This is her although now she sits on the far right and puffs up when you touch her. Should I move her while she is brooding?

 

[HATTIES COOP]

My little Cochin is Brooding again. My now egg laying Pullets are laying. He will lay on 2-4 eggs of theirs. I have been taking her out of the nesting box each day, so she will forge and give her a treat. I leave a small water container inside he coop. Just hope she is getting enough. Its been about 3 weeks. Hope she snaps out of it soon!

 

[HATTIES COOP]

She.....not he..typo.