Any one chicken wire in a broody hen?

[3 NH reds]

I have 20 eggs at day 6 of 21 in an incubator. Almost all the eggs are golden comet with a couple Americana eggs fertilized by the comet rooster. I have a coop of only buff orps and the coop has a rear egg door 3 feet wide and just longer than a standard laying box. I had put in roll away laying boxes due to egg eating. At 1st they all used one of them and that ended the egg eating. But for the past week or two I have a broody orp who will not let them up so the others lay on the floor. She is sitting on an empty nest, no eggs but does not leave.. I want to chicken wire her in with food and water if day 18 gets here and she is still on the empty nest. Big reason is the drop off from the laying box to the floor is over 2 feet high and I worry chicks would fall out. I can open the back to feed and water them and I could even put in a chick warming tray off the side for any wandering chicks. Anyone try something like this? I have the other coop of rangers and I could try to move her in and put a wire dog pen around her but comets are mean and I think she would stop sitting

 

[igorsMistress]

Your broody will keep the chicks in the nest until she's done with the hatch. Maybe a small lip on the box if there isn't one, but she'll need to be able to get out if necessary.

 

[NatJ]

So you're talking about making a small pen that keeps everyone else out of the broody's nest, and then you want (two weeks from now) to give her chicks? Sounds like it should work.

Since you mention possibly moving her: maybe try moving her at night, and put some fake eggs in the new place. Hopefully, having eggs will help convince her the new place is better. If you are able to get her moved, it should overall be easier than trying to make a pen where she is. (And after you move her: if she comes off the nest to eat, then throws a noisy tantrum trying to get back to her old nest: let her fuss for at least half an hour before you consider letting her go back to the old nest, because she may settle back down on the eggs in the new nest after she's done griping.)

No matter where she ends up sitting, it looks like you've thought of the main things the broody and the chicks will need:
The broody needs to be able to get off the nest to eat, drink, poop, stretch her legs, maybe dustbathe.
The chicks will need a safe space to eat, drink, walk around, not fall too far.

I would not expect you to need a warming tray for the chicks, if they're being raised by a hen.

 

[3 NH reds]

Well I did end up chicken wiring her in. The other coop has golden comets and they are nasty to outsiders. She took to it well. Now she has 7 chicks we gave her from the incubator and she took them all, even one that came two days late. Plenty of food for mom and chicks but I did end up taking out the small water and put in a 2 liter bottle with a nipple waterer on it. I never put a warming tray in after all mom is a good broody.