New broody hen...new update pg 2

[summerb76]

My pheonix hen just went broody for the 1st time. I put 4 marked egss under her last night. She is still on them today and she has already turned them. She is still in the coop with all the other hens and roos. She chose to sit in the highest nesting box in a corner. Should I just keep her there for awhile if everyone is good to her? How soon before the hatch should I put her by herself to hatch and care for the chicks? And can I just put her and the chicks with the rest of the flock after a few weeks? I have read so many threads about this but I still am lost. Any and all help will be awesome.

 

[L*A*G*]

I'm not any help but how did u know she was broody?

 

[blueseal]

Quote:
i usually seperate from the others because they will peck at the broody because they want her nest to layin atleast thats what iv seen from mine.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

This is the second time one of my girls have gone broody ...the first time I separated the hen with the eggs she adopted into a wire dog crate in the coop...so the other hens would stop laying in her nest and leave her alone...she was fine I supplied water and feed and treats and she did all the rest..just this past week a different hen went broody and I thought I would just let her do the job without separating her because she's a big hen and yesterday I noticed of the 6 marked eggs I put under her only two are left....i think either she kicked the eggs out of the nest or the other girls ate them ALL.Soooo this weekend I am going to separate her into a wire dog cage...and I also think I have another one that may be broody also....hope that helps...
I also think there mad at me because they were all free ranging because all the snow melted this past week and it was sunny ....we now have a blanket of snow again and they dont want to step in it so there COOPed up.....

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

*L*A*G* :

I'm not any help but how did u know she was broody?

I noticed my girl went broody whenever I went in the coop ...she would be laying in the same nest box and even when I brought treats she wouldnt get up....and during the night she was laying in the same nest box....also when I put my hand under her to check for eggs she would cluck up a storm..and peck ....even when I opened the door she would cluck ...even if another hen came close to her she would cluck up a storm....hope that helps....​

 

[summerb76]

I know she is broody because she has been sitting on a ping pong ball for 2-3 days. Everytime I go near her she screams at me. So I slid in the 4 eggs and took the ball out. I do have a large dog crate I can mover her to so she can be alone but where do I put it? Or I can put her in a 2-3 bird coop I have also (she will be alone). But it has to stay outside and its going to be the 30's this week at night and will she be ok all alone with no one to snuggle next to? Do I let her out or keep it all locked up. I will take some picks of the coop and post them as soon as it stops raining. It is a 3 story coop...the midle is where the the nest box is, the top is blocked off, the bottem is just an empty area..maybe i can put the food and water for her down there and she can poop down there too and I can just clean it every day. If I need to explain more just tell me.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Will the cage fit into were the other girls are?I think they like to be alone but still want to know whats going on....

 

[summerb76]

A dog cage will fit (wont the others climb on it and poop all over it?) but the coop will not. The other coop I am talking about is very close to the main coop and we usually have some girls climb in there to lay eggs, but we can just close it off so no one else can go in. But it is close enough that she can still see everyone else if she wants to. We free range them all day so they are all over the yard but usually near the coop areas.

 

[Lollipop]

Broody Hens;

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[summerb76]

Awesome article..thx alot.