broody being beat up advice

[junior67]

so I have a broody sitting on a nest. I had to move her as she was in a shared (big) nest box, but 2 others use it and one will ONLY use the side she was on so that one went in and kept attacking the broody to get her to move which she would not. She finally got off long enough for the other one to lay. So I moved the broody to the other side and all has been fine. Broody stayed on her eggs, other one went to other side and laid just fine.....

BUT my broody hadn't gotten off the nest since that day (today was day 3) I have a camera in there so I know she didn't get up at all. I tried to scoot her off yesterday and she would just circle around me and right back to the nest..... Finally gave up hoping she would go out today...... She didn't. so today I got her off the nest and caught her and put her on the ramp to go out, she turned right around and ran back..... Got her back off and carried her down to the food. She instantly started eating. one of the other hens came over and started to peck her so she ran off, then another one started to peck and chase her..... Then my cockerel (he is 7 mo almost 8 mo) started to attack her, at first I thought he was trying to mate with her but then he did it again and nope he was jumping at her. She ran back to the nest. So I gave her some food/mealworm and bug mix and water in the nest box and sat there while she ate and drank quite a bit then I removed it so the others wouldn't go in there and bug her to eat it and water didn't get spilled........

But what if anything can I do about the others attacking her????? I don't really have a spot to block her off now or when she has chicks. I had 4 mama's last year that raised babies in the coop/run with the rest of the chickens and all was fine.......... Once the babies hatch will she at least fight back? If need be I can take babies away as I am hatching some in the incubator and will have them in the brooder in the coop so can add these ones since they will only be about 9 days younger.

 

[sourland]

Due to their change in demeanor, flock mates frequently attack them as 'strangers'. What is happening in your flock sounds excessive.

 

[junior67]

Due to their change in demeanor, flock mates frequently attack them as 'strangers'. What is happening in your flock sounds excessive.

I didn't have this issue last year. I wonder if it wouldn't have been as bad but when first one pecked her (not bad just a couple small pecks) and she freaked out and ran then the other one ran after her which then caused a commotion if that is why the cockerel jumped in thinking there was an issue???? My older roo just kind of stood around trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Last year my broody's were in the main nest boxes (I have 3 main ones built off the coop, then those had waiting lines so had some starting to lay in other sections..... so we built one under the poop boards off the other side of the coop which is the shared box (no dividers) so she isn't as "out in the open" so maybe that is part of the problem too?

 

[junior67]

ok. now I don't know what to do..... thinking of figuring out a way to block her off I think I have some HWC I could try to use but worried about sharp edges since I don't have time to make a frame. maybe cardboard but then hard for me to see in easy besides small nest box door....... but easy to lift up to see......

But all was going great since noone used the side of the shared box she is using. My other 2 that lay in that box used the other half of it and have used it fine since I moved her (one used it fine before as well, one made her move to use that one side so after I switched broody to other side all was well.) well my ONE CCL that is 11 mo and STILL hasn't laid went into her side of the box today, the broody tried to defend but the CCL pecked her and chased her off then scratched around in the box. the broody went in the other side and managed to get her eggs back under her.

I am thinking maybe she isn't high enough to defend her nest and babies. but with these issues already I am worried if I block it off and keep her separate for the next 15 days it will be too hard to get her back with the flock. I can put the chicks in the brooder once hatched so that is fine, but don't want it harder for her to go back.

I have eggs in my incubator right now but they are on day 15 and her eggs will only be on day 6 later tonight. So lockdown for the ones in the incubator in 3 days..... then as soon as those hatch I am putting more in there which would put the new eggs only 4-5 days when the broody eggs need lockdown so that doesn't really work.

Do I just block her off and take chicks away after they hatch and put her back with the flock then????

I had 4 broodys with babies last year and didn't have this issue at all. I kept them in the main nest boxes with the flock and things went very smooth. was hoping for the same this year but think she is just too far down in the flock.

 

[SamCO]

What was the outcome with your broody? Did she hatch her chicks? Did you get her integrated back in? I hope ot all went well for you.

My broody is low gal in the flock, and she’s separated right now and I worry how it’ll go with chicks.

 

[Tonyroo]

When you know your broody hen is low on the pecking order you should always separate her from the flock or place her in her secured space in the coop.

Brooding is stressful, because she vulnerable for attack and being deprived of food, water, and exercise. Also wild hens brood in seclusion away from the flock. So it's natural to keep them separated.

Also the flock hasn't forgotten who she is, she will intergrate on her terms when she's ready.

 

[junior67]

What was the outcome with your broody? Did she hatch her chicks? Did you get her integrated back in? I hope ot all went well for you.

My broody is low gal in the flock, and she’s separated right now and I worry how it’ll go with chicks.

It didn't go well. I won't let her try again. She was a bit mean to some of the others so I didn't think she was low but with how brooding went I am guessing she is. I collected her and the eggs and put a box in the nest box hoping that would help keep others out and the eggs safe...... Well it didn't. The same CCL ended up in there and breaking the eggs etc. The following day the broody broke her broodiness and is now back with the flock as normal.

A couple days after that one of my girls from my July 2022 hatch went broody. LOL almost the same day that I put eggs in my incubator again. So debating on letting her hatch a couple and raise some of the other babies from the incubator. It has been a bit over 2 weeks and no one has really chased her out. A few will go in and lay with her to lay their eggs but she mostly stands her ground or sometimes will get up and go eat, drink, take a dust bath etc. If she comes back and they are still in she will just leave again but always goes back to her nest.....

Then ANOTHER one went broody a few days after that (another July hatchling. LOL) But I am going to be breaking her since I don't need 2 broodies and they are taking up 2 nest boxes. If she heads out and someone is in her box she will just go to another one. Sometimes the other broodies box and stay there, that is the ONLY time the other broody won't wait and will go to a different box, I think since she knows that one isn't going to be leaving.

So sorry for the long story........ BUT I would say if low in the flock I would either separate or not let her hatch. My older ones (almost 2 years old) didn't seem to have a high/low in the flock, not sure if where I had a roo? and I didn't seem to have any bullies when someone was brooding. My April 2022 chickens seem to have a couple that are just plain MEAN! No bad bullying but they will run after some of the others the same age and chase them out of the coop etc. They don't do it to the older girls and instead they run from them, but they seem to be top for their age group.