1st time Broody... Questions...

[chantels1]

I have 10 eggs in the incubator. They are on day 2. I also have a pullet that went broody yesterday on en empty nest. (Bare breast, sitting in nest all day, only getting up twice a day. She puffs up and complains if I touch her) I gave her a plastic egg. She kicked it out of the nest. She is also nesting in the bottom of the chicken run. She has never laid in the nesting boxes. She's kind of stupid.... all the other hens lay in the nest boxes. She is the lowest in the pecking order. This morning I gave her a brooder box and put the plastic egg in the nest box. I placed that inside an extra large dog crate next to the chicken coop where she can still see the chickens. She is now sitting on the edge of the nest box not sitting on the egg.

I think I will give her an infertile egg to practice with for a day or two. Then maybe she'll take the eggs that are in the incubator.

Since she's not actually setting in the nest box should I let her sit on the edge and see if she figures it out, or should I just put the shavings down in the bottom of the crate?

 

[chickens really]

Build her a nest....If really broody she will set the eggs..I remove my Broody hens to my garage brooder and let her set..Feed and water provided....I just pop the eggs in the nest and walk away till she settles on the eggs...Works every time..

 

[chantels1]

I may have to move her in the garage. I think maybe being close to the others and she can see them has her all worked up. She's not setting. Either that or she's an uncommitted Broody because it's her first time. I will move her into the house or into the garage and see.

 

[chantels1]

As I mentioned, i am dealing with a dumb chicken.... She is in extra large crate with a nestbox in garage. Nextbox is full of shavings. Food and water. I put 3 infertile eggs in nestbox. I put her in it, covered the door with a towel so it is dark. Checked on her hours later, she is sitting at the door. Left ger all night. Still sitting at door in damp shavings as ahe spilled her water. No eggs under her.

She has not laid in 4 days. Still acts broody, sitting all day, bare chest, complains if I touch her etc. But she refuses to actually sit in the nest. I will take the nest box out today and set the eggs on the bottom of the cage and see if that helps. I would much rather use a broody and take the eggs out of the incubator, but not going to risk the eggs dying now out of her own stupidity. I'm hoping it's just because she's young and she's not permanently stupid....

 

[chickens really]

Yes, take the eggs and place in a nest on the floor ....I never use a box ....

 

[chickens really]

My Hen in my garage Brooder.

 

[wvchics]

Chickens can tell the difference between a real egg and a wooden one somehow. If you use infertile eggs I would mark them for when you add the fertilized eggs. Let her sit where she wants, and if she'll sit the first eggs go ahead and give her some fertile ones. She should just add them to what she's already sitting on.

 

[whychickens2]

Maybe pop them under her wherever she's sitting. She may reposition them to get comfy. Mine is in the corner not in the middle of the nest box but can still cover the eggs

 

[chantels1]

I came to the conclusion she's just not experienced enough yet. She'd push the eggs away even the infertile ones. I never put any fertile ones under her. I put her back in the Coop. She's back to her favorite spot without any eggs under her. If she remains Broody I might try again with some infertile eggs in a day or two.

 

[chickens really]

Even a week of Broodiness makes a difference....