Broody drama

[ForeverFactor]

She is sitting on a ceramic egg. I think I'm going to have to try to break her.

 

[ForeverFactor]

So latest and probably last update unless y'all want to see more pictures. The older hen has successfully completed hatching of 4 chicks. One was dead in the nest after she left it im not sure why or how. The end result is 3 happy healthy chicks. I feel bad for the broody pullet who did all the work but this will work out. I just need to find a way to get her back to normal. Next summer I'll let her hatch her own chicks.

 

[aart]

What a crazy story!
Good reason to segregate broodies with wire wall(see below).

I just need to find a way to get her back to normal.

Hard to say how long it might take to 'break' her but.....
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.

Next summer I'll let her hatch her own chicks.

When I have a broody and want her to hatch I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

I remove barrier about one week after hatch. The chicks are usually safe it's the broody who has to 'fight' her way back into the pecking order...which can be quick or take a few days.
Lots of space helps for re-integration.

 

[Sally PB]

I just bookmarked this to read next spring, when I hope one of my girls goes broody. Thanks for the info.

 

[aart]

I just bookmarked this to read next spring, when I hope one of my girls goes broody. Thanks for the info.

Not sure this thread is active anymore, but there are a tons of broody stories and advice here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-hen-thread.496101/

 

[Sally PB]

Thank you!

 

[ForeverFactor]

What a crazy story!
Good reason to segregate broodies with wire wall(see below).

Hard to say how long it might take to 'break' her but.....
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.
View attachment 2352148



When I have a broody and want her to hatch I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

I remove barrier about one week after hatch. The chicks are usually safe it's the broody who has to 'fight' her way back into the pecking order...which can be quick or take a few days.
Lots of space helps for re-integration.

Thanks for the tips this will come in handy! I did have one more question the hen raising the chicks has never been the brightest but I figured her instincts would be good. That said the nest she hatched the chicks out of is elevated and the first night I went to check on them in the night and she had gone back up to the nest and left the babies on the ground. I found them in time and put them together with her in their own coop and I tucked them under her wings this morning they were alive and well. My question is can I trust her instincts? I was surprised by her blunder I figured she would have made a little nest on the floor with the chicks to keep them warm. Should I remove the chicks and brood them myself?

 

[aart]

Thanks for the tips this will come in handy! I did have one more question the hen raising the chicks has never been the brightest but I figured her instincts would be good. That said the nest she hatched the chicks out of is elevated and the first night I went to check on them in the night and she had gone back up to the nest and left the babies on the ground. I found them in time and put them together with her in their own coop and I tucked them under her wings this morning they were alive and well. My question is can I trust her instincts? I was surprised by her blunder I figured she would have made a little nest on the floor with the chicks to keep them warm. Should I remove the chicks and brood them myself?

Hmm.... I have had a broody 'abandon' some chicks that couldn't get back into the coop.
I had to gather them back up for her, never happened again.
Have also had one gather them into a corner on the floor.
Might set up a floor nest that the chicks can get into.