Introduction
It's so nice to walk into your coop in the morning and find that one of your hens is broody. I personally think that chicks are so much cuter with a hen than in an incubator or brooder, and it's so sweet watching a momma raise her babies. In this article, you'll find helpful setups used to separate your broody hen from the others, and when to do so. Hopefully, you find this article helpful!
Why Separate?
Lots of people don't separate their broody's and can leave them in the coop freely with the rest of the hens. This is probably the best for the broody as she has free access to dust bathing, and the option to run around the stretch her legs before returning to the nest. Though oftentimes, other hens, roosters, location, and hatched chicks can all contribute to the need to move or separate your broody.
Broody's often take the favorite nesting box, and bully hens may boss your broody out of the nest to lay. If they don't, they will try to lay in that nesting box, and the broody will take the eggs that were recently laid and roll them under her. If those eggs aren't removed promptly, you have a staggered hatch where the broody will abandon the other developing eggs after the original clutch hatches.
To avoid this, make sure to mark the original eggs the day that your hen goes broody, and remove the new eggs each day. Do this if you choose to leave your broody where she is currently.
Roosters can also be a problem. Roosters wanting to do the "humpty-dumpty" at night can lead to crushed eggs and stressed hens. Other hens may go broody after another decides to take on the task, and fighting over the nest is another possibility. Broody's trying to incubate the same nest, or fighting over the nest need to be separated. Broody's incubating together may not need to be, but I prefer to separate for egg safety. It can lead to crushed eggs and the competition may keep them from focusing on the task at hand.
After the chicks hatch, it's not uncommon for other broody hens or boss hens to be aggressive towards chicks if they have access to them. It's important that the babies are safe and protected from other hens and roosters, so separation at least after chicks hatch is a very good idea. Most times your broody will stand up to boss hens, but depending on the broody hen, the chicks, and the flock mates, you may have to consider separation.
Lastly, location can be a factor when considering whether or not to separate your broody. Hens that bed down in the brush, or in unsecured places will need to be moved. I recently moved my broody hen because she picked a section of the coop that wasn't completely protected from the weather. Of course, moving has its risks, but oftentimes the pros of separation or moving out weight the cons.
Ways to Separate
It's always best to cause the hen, (or other fowl) as little stress as possible. Most times, broody's shouldn't break by just being moved, but there's always the risk they will reject the new nest and abandon the eggs. If possible, it's best to use what you have to separate your broody by making it so the other fowl can't get to her.
1. Block off her area
The least stressful, and very best way to separate your broody is by making the current location inaccessible to the rest of the flock. If her location is already well-chosen, (dry and safe,) this is probably the best method to use.
With my broody duck, I was able to use a baby/pet gate to separate her from the others. Since she was up against a wall, I placed the gate surrounding her and connecting back to the wall. A photo of this setup is below.
Sometimes it can be as easy as shutting a door, (if you have two coops or shelters,) and other times hens make it more difficult.
Its always important to make sure the broody has to get up off the nest to eat and drink because otherwise, she will poop in the nest exposing the eggs to dangerous bacteria. With hens, try to make enough room to fit a dust bath in the space as well, since that will make them more comfortable and they will adapt easier to the smaller environment.
2. Moving your broody
Sometimes it's necessary to move the broody to a new location. If her location isn't safe, is too difficult to block off, or she picked a location that was exposed to the weather you may need to move your broody. First, pick the desired location for her to be moved. Consider things like handling, the rest of the flock, and whether or not it's a good location for hatched chicks. Preferably, somewhere inside the coop that won't require reintegration is preferred. I chose to move my broody inside my garage so I could easily candle eggs, and she is in a safe protected environment. Though keep in mind a move further from the nest has its risks. She's placed in an environment completely different from what she originally chose, and it makes it harder for her to adapt. After you've set up your area and made sure there is enough room for her to stretch her wings, preen, and she has to get off her nest to eat and drink. Now it's time to move the broody.
This is most successful when done at night while she's sleeping. Chickens are pretty groggy at night and can be moved with little stress. Other fowl, (ducks in particular) aren't as cooperative at night, but once they settle in, waking up in the new location in the morning will still help them adapt.
When you move your broody, she probably won't be settled in until the next morning. If you move her somewhere within the run or coop, make sure to block her in her area, or make her last location inaccessible to her so she doesn't go running back.
Setups for blocking your broody
1. Pet gate or existing gate
You can use a pet or baby gate like I did to separate your broody. If she's in open space up against a wall, it makes it easy. If not, you may have to use another material to block off the back, because the gate will only cover so much space.
2. Cardboard
Cardboard can be used to separate your broody. This is a bit more difficult as it's only so strong. Cardboard may need reinforcing depending on how much space you're trying to block off. 18" rebar pins can be pounded into the ground if the location has a dirt floor to help support the cardboard. If you are not able to pound anything into the ground, something more sturdy like a gate or wire structure may be more sufficient.
Make sure the cardboard or any structure is tall enough that it discourages your broody to try and jump it. Cardboard may collapse under your hen's weight, so it should only be used in emergencies, or if another setup is not an option. Please consider other birds jumping in, or her jumping out as a possibility before using this. I only used it for my broody here since she had settled in nicely, and I trusted that she would not try to jump out.
3. Repurposed brooder
You can also make your own wooden structure to separate your broody. I've seen members make brooders with welded wire and J, or Wire Cage clips. You could do the same thing to make your broody an operation pen. PVC pipe with wire strung around it would work as well.
You could also use an old brooder. This could work well as long as it's very large. A plastic bin brooder or one of similar size will not be sufficient since it is not tall enough for your broody, nor is it large enough to give her enough space to get off the nest. A separation area should always be large enough for her to walk away from the nest, dust bathe, preen, eat and drink without interfering with the nest. The above photo shows a setup with sufficient size.
Dealing with rejection
What if your broody rejects the location? Moving your broody can be stressful, they're much more likely to continue brooding without complaints if left in their original location, but sometimes being moved is necessary. If your hen is off her eggs the next morning, squawking or showing other signs of rejection, we have to adjust to her needs. Do your best to make her old location work for her. Make it more weather protected, or try to block it off from the rest of the flock if possible.
If her original location was in the brush or out of a predator-proof space, it's better to break her than risk her life, in my opinion.
If she chose an unprotected area, try to make a preferred section of the coop similar to what she liked in her old location. For my broody duck who did this, I took twigs and branches and made my desired location resemble the brush she had chosen outside the run.
What about the eggs? Broody's who reject a new location could reject the eggs as well. It may take her time to settle back into an improved location. She may pay little attention to the eggs while she situates, and settles back into her nest. This is when it's very helpful to have an incubator, as broodies are unpredictable.
Even if she does return to her nest as expected, you can incubate the eggs until you are sure she's back for good. Just place golf balls or Easter eggs in the old or improved location, and give her her clutch of eggs back after she settles in.
Incubators are important
Broody's are unpredictable. Even broody's who settle in nicely to a new, or improved location aren't guaranteed to continue brooding the entire time. Some broodies slack off or quit during incubation. Some broodies are clumsy or heavy and can accidentally break eggs. (This is more common in heavy breeds like Jersey giants.)
Or some broodies do a great job, but eggs end up compromised and need extra help hatching, etc. It's always important to have an incubator so that you can take matters into your own hands if need be.
What incubator? I highly suggest the Nurture Right 360. It's not too expensive and maybe a bit over your budget for a simple backup, but it's so easy to use and fairly accurate, though I always suggest calibrating your incubator before using it. It's durable, and I trust it with my eggs. Plus, if you ever want to hatch your own in the future, you'll have a trustworthy, and foolproof incubator for your future clutches. Lots of other members will agree that this is one of the best incubators out there.
Last but not least
Broodies truly are the best incubators. They can sense what's going on in the eggs, and adjust to make sure the egg gets the best care possible. They're smart and designed perfectly to get the job done right. Though broodies can be funny in the choice of location, and by separating we can often give them the best chance at having a successful hatch. Hopefully, the above information was helpful to you, and feel free to ask any additional questions about moving and separating below. I'll answer them as best as I can. Thanks for reading!
Sunny's babies. She hatched 5 beautiful chicks, was a great mamma, and tolerated the location change quite well. Good luck with your broody's and future hatches!
It's so nice to walk into your coop in the morning and find that one of your hens is broody. I personally think that chicks are so much cuter with a hen than in an incubator or brooder, and it's so sweet watching a momma raise her babies. In this article, you'll find helpful setups used to separate your broody hen from the others, and when to do so. Hopefully, you find this article helpful!
Why Separate?
Lots of people don't separate their broody's and can leave them in the coop freely with the rest of the hens. This is probably the best for the broody as she has free access to dust bathing, and the option to run around the stretch her legs before returning to the nest. Though oftentimes, other hens, roosters, location, and hatched chicks can all contribute to the need to move or separate your broody.
Broody's often take the favorite nesting box, and bully hens may boss your broody out of the nest to lay. If they don't, they will try to lay in that nesting box, and the broody will take the eggs that were recently laid and roll them under her. If those eggs aren't removed promptly, you have a staggered hatch where the broody will abandon the other developing eggs after the original clutch hatches.
To avoid this, make sure to mark the original eggs the day that your hen goes broody, and remove the new eggs each day. Do this if you choose to leave your broody where she is currently.
Roosters can also be a problem. Roosters wanting to do the "humpty-dumpty" at night can lead to crushed eggs and stressed hens. Other hens may go broody after another decides to take on the task, and fighting over the nest is another possibility. Broody's trying to incubate the same nest, or fighting over the nest need to be separated. Broody's incubating together may not need to be, but I prefer to separate for egg safety. It can lead to crushed eggs and the competition may keep them from focusing on the task at hand.
After the chicks hatch, it's not uncommon for other broody hens or boss hens to be aggressive towards chicks if they have access to them. It's important that the babies are safe and protected from other hens and roosters, so separation at least after chicks hatch is a very good idea. Most times your broody will stand up to boss hens, but depending on the broody hen, the chicks, and the flock mates, you may have to consider separation.
Lastly, location can be a factor when considering whether or not to separate your broody. Hens that bed down in the brush, or in unsecured places will need to be moved. I recently moved my broody hen because she picked a section of the coop that wasn't completely protected from the weather. Of course, moving has its risks, but oftentimes the pros of separation or moving out weight the cons.
Ways to Separate
It's always best to cause the hen, (or other fowl) as little stress as possible. Most times, broody's shouldn't break by just being moved, but there's always the risk they will reject the new nest and abandon the eggs. If possible, it's best to use what you have to separate your broody by making it so the other fowl can't get to her.
1. Block off her area
The least stressful, and very best way to separate your broody is by making the current location inaccessible to the rest of the flock. If her location is already well-chosen, (dry and safe,) this is probably the best method to use.
With my broody duck, I was able to use a baby/pet gate to separate her from the others. Since she was up against a wall, I placed the gate surrounding her and connecting back to the wall. A photo of this setup is below.
Sometimes it can be as easy as shutting a door, (if you have two coops or shelters,) and other times hens make it more difficult.
Its always important to make sure the broody has to get up off the nest to eat and drink because otherwise, she will poop in the nest exposing the eggs to dangerous bacteria. With hens, try to make enough room to fit a dust bath in the space as well, since that will make them more comfortable and they will adapt easier to the smaller environment.
2. Moving your broody
Sometimes it's necessary to move the broody to a new location. If her location isn't safe, is too difficult to block off, or she picked a location that was exposed to the weather you may need to move your broody. First, pick the desired location for her to be moved. Consider things like handling, the rest of the flock, and whether or not it's a good location for hatched chicks. Preferably, somewhere inside the coop that won't require reintegration is preferred. I chose to move my broody inside my garage so I could easily candle eggs, and she is in a safe protected environment. Though keep in mind a move further from the nest has its risks. She's placed in an environment completely different from what she originally chose, and it makes it harder for her to adapt. After you've set up your area and made sure there is enough room for her to stretch her wings, preen, and she has to get off her nest to eat and drink. Now it's time to move the broody.
This is most successful when done at night while she's sleeping. Chickens are pretty groggy at night and can be moved with little stress. Other fowl, (ducks in particular) aren't as cooperative at night, but once they settle in, waking up in the new location in the morning will still help them adapt.
When you move your broody, she probably won't be settled in until the next morning. If you move her somewhere within the run or coop, make sure to block her in her area, or make her last location inaccessible to her so she doesn't go running back.
Setups for blocking your broody
1. Pet gate or existing gate
You can use a pet or baby gate like I did to separate your broody. If she's in open space up against a wall, it makes it easy. If not, you may have to use another material to block off the back, because the gate will only cover so much space.
2. Cardboard
Cardboard can be used to separate your broody. This is a bit more difficult as it's only so strong. Cardboard may need reinforcing depending on how much space you're trying to block off. 18" rebar pins can be pounded into the ground if the location has a dirt floor to help support the cardboard. If you are not able to pound anything into the ground, something more sturdy like a gate or wire structure may be more sufficient.
Make sure the cardboard or any structure is tall enough that it discourages your broody to try and jump it. Cardboard may collapse under your hen's weight, so it should only be used in emergencies, or if another setup is not an option. Please consider other birds jumping in, or her jumping out as a possibility before using this. I only used it for my broody here since she had settled in nicely, and I trusted that she would not try to jump out.
3. Repurposed brooder
You can also make your own wooden structure to separate your broody. I've seen members make brooders with welded wire and J, or Wire Cage clips. You could do the same thing to make your broody an operation pen. PVC pipe with wire strung around it would work as well.
You could also use an old brooder. This could work well as long as it's very large. A plastic bin brooder or one of similar size will not be sufficient since it is not tall enough for your broody, nor is it large enough to give her enough space to get off the nest. A separation area should always be large enough for her to walk away from the nest, dust bathe, preen, eat and drink without interfering with the nest. The above photo shows a setup with sufficient size.
Dealing with rejection
What if your broody rejects the location? Moving your broody can be stressful, they're much more likely to continue brooding without complaints if left in their original location, but sometimes being moved is necessary. If your hen is off her eggs the next morning, squawking or showing other signs of rejection, we have to adjust to her needs. Do your best to make her old location work for her. Make it more weather protected, or try to block it off from the rest of the flock if possible.
If her original location was in the brush or out of a predator-proof space, it's better to break her than risk her life, in my opinion.
If she chose an unprotected area, try to make a preferred section of the coop similar to what she liked in her old location. For my broody duck who did this, I took twigs and branches and made my desired location resemble the brush she had chosen outside the run.
What about the eggs? Broody's who reject a new location could reject the eggs as well. It may take her time to settle back into an improved location. She may pay little attention to the eggs while she situates, and settles back into her nest. This is when it's very helpful to have an incubator, as broodies are unpredictable.
Even if she does return to her nest as expected, you can incubate the eggs until you are sure she's back for good. Just place golf balls or Easter eggs in the old or improved location, and give her her clutch of eggs back after she settles in.
Incubators are important
Broody's are unpredictable. Even broody's who settle in nicely to a new, or improved location aren't guaranteed to continue brooding the entire time. Some broodies slack off or quit during incubation. Some broodies are clumsy or heavy and can accidentally break eggs. (This is more common in heavy breeds like Jersey giants.)
Or some broodies do a great job, but eggs end up compromised and need extra help hatching, etc. It's always important to have an incubator so that you can take matters into your own hands if need be.
What incubator? I highly suggest the Nurture Right 360. It's not too expensive and maybe a bit over your budget for a simple backup, but it's so easy to use and fairly accurate, though I always suggest calibrating your incubator before using it. It's durable, and I trust it with my eggs. Plus, if you ever want to hatch your own in the future, you'll have a trustworthy, and foolproof incubator for your future clutches. Lots of other members will agree that this is one of the best incubators out there.
Last but not least
Broodies truly are the best incubators. They can sense what's going on in the eggs, and adjust to make sure the egg gets the best care possible. They're smart and designed perfectly to get the job done right. Though broodies can be funny in the choice of location, and by separating we can often give them the best chance at having a successful hatch. Hopefully, the above information was helpful to you, and feel free to ask any additional questions about moving and separating below. I'll answer them as best as I can. Thanks for reading!
Sunny's babies. She hatched 5 beautiful chicks, was a great mamma, and tolerated the location change quite well. Good luck with your broody's and future hatches!
