Broody Cochin- what to do?

[calichooks]

We have an older gal (3 years old? maybe 4) who has just decided for the first time in her barred cochin life that she wants to be a mother. she stole everyone else’s eggs and has screeched and fluffed up at us whenever we go to get our eggs! It’s been about a week now that she’s been like this and she’s only becoming more dedicated by the day. I checked her underside and her chest is bare because she’s trying to line a nest while sitting on no eggs.
She’s a good girl, just a little confused I guess. We’re dealing with a lot of chicken-related things right now (8 6-week old pullets are taking up most of our time) plus we have 9 adult girls including the cochin.
What’s the best way to break a broody? I think she’d be a wonderful mother as she’s almost top of the pecking order and seems protective, but we can’t deal with raising chicks ourselves.
I’m just wondering, will she stay on the eggs if i buy her some hatching eggs? and will she take care of them herself with minimal intervention by us? We’ve never had a hen raise chicks before, and we’ll probably sell all of the chicks around a couple weeks old or so because our backyard is only so big. A bunch of people around us are selling hatching eggs for $20-25 a dozen but i assume she’s not big enough for a full dozen.
We have all of the necessary chick equipment leftover from the 6 week olds, but my concern is that i’d want her to raise them, if at all possible.
should i break her or give her the chance to take care of chicks herself?

 

[Rose Quartz]

We have an older gal (3 years old? maybe 4) who has just decided for the first time in her barred cochin life that she wants to be a mother. she stole everyone else’s eggs and has screeched and fluffed up at us whenever we go to get our eggs! It’s been about a week now that she’s been like this and she’s only becoming more dedicated by the day. I checked her underside and her chest is bare because she’s trying to line a nest while sitting on no eggs.
She’s a good girl, just a little confused I guess. We’re dealing with a lot of chicken-related things right now (8 6-week old pullets are taking up most of our time) plus we have 9 adult girls including the cochin.
What’s the best way to break a broody? I think she’d be a wonderful mother as she’s almost top of the pecking order and seems protective, but we can’t deal with raising chicks ourselves.
I’m just wondering, will she stay on the eggs if i buy her some hatching eggs? and will she take care of them herself with minimal intervention by us? We’ve never had a hen raise chicks before, and we’ll probably sell all of the chicks around a couple weeks old or so because our backyard is only so big. A bunch of people around us are selling hatching eggs for $20-25 a dozen but i assume she’s not big enough for a full dozen.
We have all of the necessary chick equipment leftover from the 6 week olds, but my concern is that i’d want her to raise them, if at all possible.
should i break her or give her the chance to take care of chicks herself?

My standard size hens are able to care for 14 chicks. 12 should be fine for her. Broody's are amazing at caring for them. It's the most hands off I've ever been. The only thing different i do besides the normal adult care is try to make sure there's a dish of chick starter around.

I have one of my broodies in with adults. Mama keeps them safe from the others.

So far the only hens I've managed to keep from setting eggs, it was accidental, i tried to move her to her own building and she wasn't having it. Gave up on her eggs.

 

[aart]

Do you have space for more birds?
Do you want to deal with a broody setting?
Are the other birds trying to lay in her nest?
I hope you are removing eggs daily from under her.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.