Broody behavior

[Roli]

So I’m a little worried about a broody leghorn I have. I have not seen her off her eggs at all. She has been on them for close to a week. I tried to give her some food close by and she must have thought I was a threat and made it clear I wasn’t welcome near here. She’s in the coop with the rest of my adult chickens. I was going to move her but I’m not sure that’s a good idea anymore. I don’t necessarily want chicks but I also am not against her doing what’s natural. Also with her laying on eggs in their favorite nesting box will that effect the other hens egg laying ? They have slowed way down lately and this is the only thing I can think of that’s changed.

 

[boskelli1571]

If she is blocking the 'favorite' box, the others may lay elsewhere or slow down production for a while.
I had a broody that would not leave the nest so I made a small bowl of wet mash for her and left it in reach for her. This became a way of life for 2 weeks until she decided she could get out by herself.
She needs to be encouraged to eat otherwise she will be in a depleted state when the chicks hatch out...

 

[aart]

Can be hard to know if she's been off to eat/drink/poop or not.
Finding a huge smelly broody poop is one indicator.
Really should take look under there, wear long sleeves and gloves, to reduce any biting injuries. Need to remove any newly laid eggs daily.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I just went through this(still am, hatch day is tomorrow!) I also left her in the coop. I would bet your girl has new eggs under her. If you want her to brood in the coop you will need to move her at least every other day to retrieve the new eggs. So if she and you are committed to brooding, move her and either mark the eggs that are under her, or discard those eggs and give her some ideal eggs you have collected and marked with a pencil. Then when you lift her every other day you can remove the new eggs. This has worked for me so far. The others WILL impose on her space and lay in that box, even if she's all fluffed up in there. My experience has been this way of brooding takes lots of work, and the eggs get pretty dirty. You may have to remark eggs halfway as her belly kind of rubs them off. Got my fingers crossed for hatch day tomorrow, so I cant give you a success rate for this method, In hindsight I would separate my broody next time, less work for me and less stress for her.

 

[Roli]

Okay so I took y’alls advice and lifted her up. She had 2 more eggs under her. So I decided to separate her from the rest of the flock. That did not go so well. I toweled her she remained calm. I then pick her up. Her head came out from under the towel whilst I was moving her eggs. She didn’t like that of course. I got her eggs in a different nesting box got her on the eggs made sure she had plenty of food and water. That’s when she started to freak out. Clucking/crowing(?) and she’s been doing that now for almost 20 minutes. Is there something I should do or should I let her figure out that’s her new home for at least the next two weeks ?

 

[aart]

Better to move her at night, well after dark.
Get the enclosure and nest all ready then ....night shift.