Best way to Move a Broody with out bleeding?? lol

BarefootMom · Apr 12, 2011

any genuine ideas on how to do this? I FINALLY have a broody, Iris the EE... but with her in the coop it only leaves 3 other nest boxes for 29 hens...

SO I need to move her, I already have a nice little setup for her complete with makeshift nestbox... BUT how do I do it without being pecked to death?? I am thinking a carhartt coat and leather gloves...she is mighty grouchy

Suechick · Apr 12, 2011

Quote:At night when she is sleeping is the safest time. She'll probably want to go back to her first nest so you should lock her in to the new one until she settles.
Good luck!

BarefootMom · Apr 12, 2011

I finally decided just to do it. And I do believe the leather gloves was a MUST! I zipped my carhartt to the top and put on leather gloves...she pecked at my arms and my hands. I had to do it today, the RIRs were causeing quite a stir in the hen house b/c Iris was in THEIR box. Don't cha know she had to lay in the most used box ever! lol She is now currently in a LARGE WIRE dog crate in the new coop--complete with nest box, food, and water.

wsmith · Apr 12, 2011

Yup! Leather gloves and sturdy long sleeved coat. We had some BR hens that got downright mean when they went broody!

juliette2009 · Apr 12, 2011

My girls are usually pretty good, but every once and a while, those gloves are a necessity!

dewey · Apr 12, 2011

One of my girls is trying to be. She wouldn't budge off the eggs, so I asked a friend to collect them.

QualityPolish · Apr 12, 2011

Haha! This sounds like me when I had silkies years ago. I had one hen that was so grouchy when she went broody. I'd always walk clear around her nesting area when I'd tend to their water etc.

Pinky · Apr 12, 2011

Broody hens can be scary, but I've had soo many that they are not nearly as scary now as the first one was
I always take them a little extra food and treats and give the other chickens food away from them. After a day or so, I can go in the nest and take the hen off without a fight. She knows I'm gonna get her off anyway, so why not come off for food? I get the eggs and she gets fed and allowed to sit on the nest as long as she wants.
But when I want to hatch some chicks no one is broody