1st time with a broody

[NaJaLeHa]

I have a first time broody hen and she's doin a good job so far tending to her eggs....only thing is as she turns and fluffs over her eggs she has come completely out of the nest box into the middle of the coop....the other girls go around her and lay right in the box she should be sitting in....she is way protective, won't let me come near her eggs...any suggestions on how to handle this? I haven't hatched under a broody before and I'm nervous she will abandon her eggs. Any advice?
Thanks

 

[Odelia]

I just hatched my first set of eggs under a broody chicken. My solution was to separate her and put her in the box I have used before as a brooder for baby chicks. That way she had easy access to food and water. There weren't other birds to disturb her and I was able to put her somewhere a little warmer as I was till very cold 4 weeks ago. Good luck with your hatch.

 

[amcconnell]

I agree, I would move her and her eggs into a separate place for her away from the other hens. I have a broody hen on some eggs and when she got off to eat yesterday another hen tried to get on her eggs. I just shewed the other hen off and waited for the broody to return and get back on her eggs (it was about 15 min). I will be moving her to her own separate hen house shortly.

 

[AmericanMom]

I agree, I would move her and her eggs into a separate place for her away from the other hens. I have a broody hen on some eggs and when she got off to eat yesterday another hen tried to get on her eggs. I just shewed the other hen off and waited for the broody to return and get back on her eggs (it was about 15 min). I will be moving her to her own separate hen house shortly.

I just moved mine (second attempt) My hen has sat for 4 days without a mishap and then this afternoon I went to check on some chicks I have in a grow out pen and momma was in the yard, I figured I could check eggs and make sure no other hens had laid when I discovered 4 out of the 9 eggs on the floor busted... Best I can figure is she fought off another hen (she had parts of shells stuck to her underside) I cleaned it up and while I was at it she came back in and settled right back onto her nest and hasn't moved all day so we decided better be safe then sorry...I did alittle work on the rabbit hutch to make it darker and hubby and I just moved her, the nest and her eggs.. I did do something others may not agree with...Out of all the eggs only one of them is hers, I plugged in the bator today and got it calibrated, put a few eggs in and then got hers when we moved her and added it... Will wait and see if she accepts her new accommodations before giving her back her egg. yes, I would like one of her chicks that bad, I have yet to have one

 

[NaJaLeHa]

Thanks!! I went ahead and moved her to a private coop...she was pretty angry that I was touching her eggs...good thing I was wearing gloves!! At least I know where all my missing eggs had gone!! Crazy chicken is an egg snacher!!

 

[NaJaLeHa]

Devastating to loose so many eggs!!! Good thing it's only 21 days to try again!!!

 

[AmericanMom]

Devastating to loose so many eggs!!! Good thing it's only 21 days to try again!!!

Got her moved and she has settled in nicely, sitting the remaining 5 eggs, I really didn't want to remove them as one of them is the last one she laid before the brood hormone went into over drive..

Funny thing, went out to gather eggs yesterday and noticed a lot of feathers in one of the nest, today got another hen starting the broody growl. I'll give her a few days then maybe move her too, one of the mutts I hatched out of the incubator last Sept..

Because she is a pullet going to make sure she is wanting to brood.. Got 10 eggs in the incubator on day 2 so guess what she gets

 

[NaJaLeHa]

Yay!!! I love this!!! Chickens hatchin chicks is much better than rotating eggs in the incubator!!! My latest delema is... Today is chick day at the local feed store... Those 500 chicks are calling me to them!!! Chickens are addictive... I'm going to need chickens annomous! Lol