Broody Crossbeak?

[MommyGirl]

Hello! I need some advice on what you guys would do? I have a 4 year old crossbeak hen. Now she has never had any problems eating except that it takes her a lot longer to fill her crop than the others. So it’s like she eats all the time. She is also the very bottom of pecking order. Well she has went broody and with her sitting in nest box so much I’m worried she want get enough to eat. I normally just separate a broody away in another pen for 2 to 3 days and that does the trick but I’m afraid to separate her out because I’m afraid the others will kill her when she comes back they give her a hard enough time as it is. So any suggestions?

 

[Rose the Legbar]

If you can, separate her within very close view to the current flock. Or if you can, with her still in the chicken’s run in a wire dog crate or something similar.

 

[MommyGirl]

If you can, separate her within very close view to the current flock. Or if you can, with her still in the chicken’s run in a wire dog crate or something similar.

I do have a pen in between my pens only separated by a fence but it scares me to separate her cause they are already so mean to her. I guess they see her as different

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

With a recent broody of mine, I separated her and a few other hens in a kennel in plain view of the flock for a few hours everyday for almost a week. I'd put them back in the flock in the late afternoon (after everyone had laid) and removed them again the next morning. It was the long way to break a broody (which really wasn't my main reason for the separation), but it worked with the minimal pecking order issues. Most issue I had is when I'd put them back in, one or two would have an issue which didn't turn into much.

 

[MommyGirl]

With a recent broody of mine, I separated her and a few other hens in a kennel in plain view of the flock for a few hours everyday for almost a week. I'd put them back in the flock in the late afternoon (after everyone had laid) and removed them again the next morning. It was the long way to break a broody (which really wasn't my main reason for the separation), but it worked with the minimal pecking order issues. Most issue I had is when I'd put them back in, one or two would have an issue which didn't turn into much.

Thanks! That might possibly work

 

[MommyGirl]

I decided to just go ahead and separate her because she wasn’t even coming out to eat. So I guess when she breaks and I turn her back lose with the rest of the flock I will sit out there with my water gun to protect her from any bullies Gotta do what I gotta do to protect this sweet girl. And hey the water gun works!

 

[MommyGirl]

I separated your from the others and it only took 2 days to break her. She has been back with the flock and I can’t believe how well they have done with her. I don’t know if they finally respect her because she went broody or what but the difference in how they are treating her now is unbelievable. She’s been laying with others and dirt bathing with others and it finally seems like she is one of them! Unbelievable after 4 years of her just not seeming to fit in. Don’t get me wrong she had a few that were nice to her but for some strange reason they all accept her now!