broody area

[dmccann]

how do i set up a broody area in sm hen house?House is 8by8. I have a total of 14 hens,1 is broody.My hens are goof balls and i would be afraid of what they might do.What do i use?I am in the process of trying to find eggs for her now.The more i serch this the more lost i get,must be some thing simple,dh has had it with me and the girls.Thank u everyone,like i have said before i would be lost without this forum!

 

[FireTigeris]

Well lots of people set up something in a dog kennel/crate to keep her separate - I have one that's just in the normal nest boxes- but I check here every day for egg stealing.

The dog kennel would have a nest/nest box in it and food and water away from the nest, it would be covered so she stays calm.

 

[dmccann]

How big of a box would work,she is a normal size hen?

 

[gmendoza]

Quote:
My broody boxes are 30"x24"x18"high and are 1/2 of the underrun of the old coop.Plenty of room for them to brood,eat,drink,relieve themselves and stretch.

This year I have 5 broodies. I need more pens!!!!

 

[Judy]

Quote:
This is what I do, although I have a broody pen in my coop that's about 5' x 6', simply because it's easier than trying to move the broody, and there are no integration problems. If you put her in a dog crate she can't get far from the nest to poop and can't really get any exercise. Mine will go outside, forage, dust bathe, come in and fly up to the roost, clean her beak on it -- about 15 or 20 minutes of normal chicken life. I just mark the eggs with a Sharpie and check under her once a day.

Recently when I tried to move a broody she stopped being broody. Also had one fly/climb over a 6' fence, leaving her eggs behind, to get back to the nest where she'd started setting on eggs.

You'd be taking a lot of space away from your flock if you made a comfortable broody pen in there, especially if they are staying indoors in this weather. I would not do it.