Broody bird - what to do.

Hi all,

I guess I am looking for a bit of a step by step here.

I have a bantam hen who started to go broody yesterday. I read somewhere online that I should try and move her to a nest out of the other chooks nesting box, which I have now done. However, she doesn't look as settled. Its only been an hour, so maybe I have to wait a little longer?

From what I understand, I should go get some fake eggs from the country store today, and place them under here this evening. Then after two days, place fertile eggs under her if she is still broody.

I have put water and food at the new nest site which is in the shed away from the others.

Am I sort of heading in the right direction?

Warmly,

Richard

Yeah that sounds about right. I'm sure she'll settle down after a little while, it's just the whole new enviornment that has her upset. My broody pen is attached to the layer pen so I have no problems transitioning them.

Move hen
Make sure she continues to brood fake eggs/golfballs
After a few days, trade golfballs for fertile eggs
Candle eggs periodically to get rid of dud eggs
Babies should start hatching at day 21

Also, I have a broody on 10 eggs that are due to hatch on Sunday. This broody goes into a trance so deep that she won't EVER get up to eat/drink/poo by herself so I have to take her off the nest once a day and lock her out of the broody pen so she will take care of herself. All my other broodies were just fine, but I just wanted to warn you to watch for the signs that she's taking care of herself. Poop in the nest site is a big indicator that she's not getting off her eggs.
Best of Luck!

Sure, that'll work, but here's what I do My setting hens brood their eggs in the coop with the flock (no introductions = a happy me). I have a large bird cage that sits on the floor, I use this cage for setting hens that are lower on the pecking order. It has a door I can close so the broody isn't disturbed. For higher ranking hens (and because I always seem to have more than one broody at a time) I have a couple of wooden crates turned on their sides. The crate has a wire lip, its just tall enough to keep fresh chicks in, but low enough they can hop over it when mama is ready to leave the nest. All of my broodies start sitting in my nest boxes. I move them to the brooding boxes in the dark. There's no fuss, no pacing- no hissy fit. The hen can't see well enough to put up a stink, and in the morning they're always sitting in their box with their eggs contentedly. So, depending on your set up, segregating her may be the best option. But, having my hens brood in the coop with the flock has always been easiest for me. Good luck!

A small box of fake golf balls at the dollar store might be cheaper, or more convenient. Or plastic easter eggs -- fill these with sand or something for weight. I've used river rocks of the approximate size and shape. They aren't choosy.

Be sure the broody area has room for her to walk around a little -- they need to exercise at least once a day. I take my broodies off the nest any time I'm in the coop because of the occasional broody who won't get up. Also because they all lose weight when brooding and I figure another brief "eat, drink and exercise" break can't hurt a thing.

Other than that, yes, mama will handle things just fine! And you will have healthier and stronger chicks than from a brooder. Plus, you can probably put them with the rest of the flock at a couple days old, whenever they make it obvious that's what they want. Mama should provide any needed protection. Just feed the flock a starter, grower or flock raiser feed for several weeks, and have oyster shell available separately.

Hens have been hatching eggs and raising chicks with the flock for thousands of years. You don't absolutely have to isolate a broody. I don't. You are dealing with living animals so bad things can happen, whether you isolate them or not. It's just different things that can happen and you have to manage them differently. If you have a history with the broody hen, then you may have a specific reason to isolate her. Chickens don't all read the same book and follow the same rules. We all have different set-ups and circumstances, and each flock has its own dynamics.

If you move one, I agree with moving her at night. Put her on fake eggs like golf balls or you can risk some eggs. It depends on how valuable your eggs are if you use the eggs you want her to hatch or others. You don't need a lot of fake or test eggs. Three of four is plenty.

Try to make her new nest kind of dark. That seems to help them settle. You can even leave them locked in the new nest in the dark for nost of the next day. Broodies can stay on the nest for long periods of time. This is not being cruel. Make sure she is locked in her new area with food and water so she cannot go back to her old nest when you let her out of the new nest.

If your hen does not settle on her new nest in a couple of hours, you can let her go. She will probably return to her old nest and stay broody. You can try again at night if you wish. The risk is that she will soon break from being broody if she doesn't accept the new nest.

If you decide to let her try to hatch with the flock, gather all the eggs you want her to hatch and mark them so you can tell they belong. I just draw a circle around the egg with a Sharpie so I can tell at a glance which egg belongs. Start them all at the same time so they will hatch together. Then, once a day in the evening after all eggs have been laid that day, check under her and remove any unmarked eggs that might have shown up. You can still use these if you remove them daily.

There are lots of different ways to go about this. Good luck whichever way you decide to go!

Thanks all,

I was give some eggs by a local farmer. They are actually the same breed as her. She didn't like them in her new nest and as they had already been sat on for a day by the farmers hen, I new I needed to act quick. I let her out and she went straight to her old nest in the coop. I placed the four eggs back under her and fingers crossed she seems to be sitting on them. Having said that, I did just see one poking out a little, so I'm not sure this is going to work.

Warmly,

Richard

She let these eggs go cold again over night as one of the bigger hens pushed her out of the way.

I have her now in a new nest settled and sitting. I guess these eggs will now be dud and that I will have to get some more?

Warmly,

R

Your eggs would probably be okay in mild weather but two days is too long I think. Sorry, maybe it will work out better for you the next time. I had the same thing happen two and a half weeks ago with my broody. I just hatched six out of ten eggs, so thats not that bad.

You never know, those eggs might be ok, but chances are they are duds. Keep up with the golf ball-faux-egg deal.
I think that the next batch of eggs you put under her will be a better bet- she's ready to hatch eggs, just looking for the best oppty..
good luck~ you'll be great-

Good luck, but I guess what nature want's to do is what She does. I am hoping to see the same miracle myselff...