Am I overcomplicating my broody matters?

[Beekissed]

If you think about hens who sneak away to brood a nest, they don't have water and a tray of food available. They just show up one day with a bunch of chicks. I was making the same mistake....providing food and water within two steps distance....then I started noticing that the hens were getting off the nest more frequently and their poops didn't look like broody poops.

Every time I provided close food and water my broodies I didn't have successful hatches....rotten eggs/chicks are just the worst smell ever on this whole Earth!!!! I believe enticing them off the nest that often may have ruined the temps and humidity of my eggs and killed the chicks.

From now on that food is going to be further away and water also. If I start seeing more poop that is less tarry black and stinky, that food will be removed altogether except for maybe once a week.

I think a person can overthink this broody thing and start to worry too much....chickens have been doing this for a very long time without our help.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think you're worrying too much. Just give her an area where she can get off to eat/drink/poo and she'll do the rest. I put my broodies food nearby, but not so close that she could eat while in the nest, she would get off when she felt safe. (normally I wasn't present to see it, but I know she was eating because the food level was going down and she was the only one with access to it) I never forced her off the nest.

About 10 days in, she kicked out an egg. I candled it and found that it was infertile. (smart girl!) She hatched all remaining 8 eggs on the 19th day. The day after they all had hatched, I moved all of them to a small coop where they could have some more room. She taught them everything......eating, drinking. They were roaming in their covered run with her from 3 days old on.

Just sit back, relax and let her do her thing. Then you'll get to see the sweetest thing ever, happy chicks tucked under a mommy hen.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks y'all.

The food is within the large crate with her, but out of her reach. She will have to step out of the nestbox to get something to eat and drink. I just hope she does it.

She's such a small girl to start with. I wish these girls could have waited till spring when they will be grown hens.

Edited for clarity.

 

[BWKatz]

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This is probably what I'd do, along with the ziptie, if it will stay put. Or else I'd just move her nest into the regular coop and mark the eggs.

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do, though.

I agree with this and Beekissed advice. Try to relax and enjoy the experience.

 

[HorizonSon]

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This part concerns me... YOU deciding when she can and cant leave the nest to go poop, could seriously ne messing with her "internal cycle".

 

[gritsar]

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This part concerns me... YOU deciding when she can and cant leave the nest to go poop, could seriously ne messing with her "internal cycle".

It worries me too honestly, but she was having a horrible time with her sisters trying to join her in the nest. I don't have any other place to keep her and her crate besides in the coop. If it were spring or summer I'd move her to the screened porch and give her complete run of it.

ETA: She can step out of the nestbox into the crate and has a small area in the crate, but out of the nest.

 

[HorizonSon]

Yeah; it can be tough being caught between a coop and a hard place

Is there a way to gate off the exit door, to allow for some outside leg stretching and bowel letting? She may be tripping up on the limited space; and not wanting to "take care of business" so close to the clutch.

Best wishes; and have a cluckin' good time!

 

[gritsar]

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I can't do that today, but DH and I could possibly rig something up on his next days off. I'll brainstorm on it. In the meantime, I've decided to open the door to her crate for four hours a day. This will be during the time the other chickens are pretty much out of the coop free ranging and I can check frequently.

 

[Mrs. K]

I did that too, I just put an open box on its side on the floor of the coop, and put some hay in it, and my mama took them right in there. One mama stayed there, but the other one, within a week went back to the nest, and her chicks would get up there to sleep with her. Amazed me. about 30 inches off the floor. Successful broody hens are all the fun of chicks without all the work! mk