brooding hen...

[tjb]

I have a hen that is brooding. I have been taking the eggs daily. She is in a coop with 18 other laying hens. I was considering letting her set but she is going between two different nesting boxes? Any suggestions?

 

[DobieLover]

I have a hen that is brooding. I have been taking the eggs daily. She is in a coop with 18 other laying hens. I was considering letting her set but she is going between two different nesting boxes? Any suggestions?

Make an area on the floor of the coop where she will have a little privacy and can set in peace. Bed it down and put your fertile eggs there and put her on the nest. She keeps moving nests because you keep removing the eggs!
Don't forget to put a mark on the eggs you give her in case someone sneaks an egg in her nest when she is on a broody break.

 

[Mvan42]

I have one doing the same thing. I gave her one egg since I have eggs in the incubator but she kept leaving it. So it is in the incubator and I plan on giving it back to her on day 18...

 

[aart]

I was considering letting her set but she is going between two different nesting boxes? Any suggestions?

When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

 

[tjb]

When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

So, please forgive my ignorance. Does the broody continue laying or once she is setting, her laying stops?

 

[aart]

once she is setting, her laying stops?

Yes.

 

[tjb]

Yes.

Ok good to know. Also, I set her something on the ground with eggs marked. I don't have a way to isolate it. Will she naturally go to it?

 

[aart]

Will she naturally go to it?

Not likely.
A broody will go where she wants to go, but sometimes gets confused even if you don't take eggs away or leave fake eggs in the real eggs place......why I separate mine with only one nest available.