Broody hen doesn't like being blocked in

[HollyDutton]

Yeah, that crate is kind of a small space.
I have a 4x6 space in coop to separate broodies.
I put them in there with a floor nest and fake eggs until they settle down again.
They do not like being separated/confined,
but if really broody choose the nest and settle back in,
can take up to a full day.
Then I give them the fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

She'd been broody and sitting on infertile eggs laid by everyone else in that box for a week before we got the fresh fertile ones. The cage is the best we've got to keep her in and (more importantly) keep others out. She only seems to want out once a day in the afternoon, so after she goes back in, I'm slipping the cage back around there close enough to keep others out. In the morning, we'll pull it back enough so that it's easy for her to get out if she wants, but others may have to work at it to get in. I can watch her during the day to see if she gets "trapped" or if we need to move the cage around some.

It'll be a PITA managing that for the next 3 weeks, but not too bad for once-a-day.

Our cuckoo marans did manage to slip in this afternoon, and sat in the box with her for about 15 minutes... helped herself to some snacks, and left. So there's probably a new (infertile) egg in there now. No biggie. Amusing part is that our EE and now Orpington are brooding on the floor of the coop UNDER the box (outside the cage). Seems to be catching.

 

[aart]

I can watch her during the day to see if she gets "trapped" or if we need to move the cage around some.

It'll be a PITA managing that for the next 3 weeks, but not too bad for once-a-day.

Ya do what ya gotta do...glad you can keep an eye on it.
Best of cLuck!

 

[as110]

I would do whatever it takes to keep the other hens out because it sure sucks to have so many eggs at different stages of incubation and then have the broody abandon the nest and stop brooding.
I tried to move the nest and locked my hen in and she went sht bat crazy, tried to get out so hard she was injuring herself. I let her back to her old spot and found broken eggs. I took all the eggs into the incubator and gave her fresh eggs to sit on so she would not stop brooding.
She rejected the first chick hatched a few days later and she stopped brooding that same day.
I have a 5 day old chick, one pipped today, 2 more should hatch by monday, 1 is probably dead but it’s at the same stage due by monday, 5 more at around day 15 and 4 more unknown, I’m guessing at day 6 and I killed 2 because I thought they were infertile and empty but there was a heart beating already. It’s a lot of work in the house. Because all the hens were adding eggs and the guy who was taking care of them didn’t remove the unmarked eggs.
I love that you have a camera set up. I need one too.

We do not eat the eggs that were kept warm for more than 2 days. They look gross when I open them to check. I don’t want anyone to get sick.

 

[sylviethecochin]

View attachment 1729159 View attachment 1729160 I would do whatever it takes to keep the other hens out because it sure sucks to have so many eggs at different stages of incubation and then have the broody abandon the nest and stop brooding.
I tried to move the nest and locked my hen in and she went sht bat crazy, tried to get out so hard she was injuring herself. I let her back to her old spot and found broken eggs. I took all the eggs into the incubator and gave her fresh eggs to sit on so she would not stop brooding.
She rejected the first chick hatched a few days later and she stopped brooding that same day.
I have a 5 day old chick, one pipped today, 2 more should hatch by monday, 1 is probably dead but it’s at the same stage due by monday, 5 more at around day 15 and 4 more unknown, I’m guessing at day 6 and I killed 2 because I thought they were infertile and empty but there was a heart beating already. It’s a lot of work in the house. Because all the hens were adding eggs and the guy who was taking care of them didn’t remove the unmarked eggs.
I love that you have a camera set up. I need one too.

We do not eat the eggs that were kept warm for more than 2 days. They look gross when I open them to check. I don’t want anyone to get sick.

She doesn't have a rooster, so the eggs aren't fertile.

 

[as110]

She doesn't have a rooster, so the eggs aren't fertile.

Sorry I thought you said you bought fertile eggs for her. Maybe that was someone else’s post.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Sorry I thought you said you bought fertile eggs for her. Maybe that was someone else’s post.

No, the hen has fertile eggs under her. But if the other hens lay their eggs in her nest, there won't be any possibility of different stages of development, because the new eggs will never begin to develop, and they certainly won't begin to develop under the hen so as to make them inedible.

 

[Dkbahoo]

No, the hen has fertile eggs under her. But if the other hens lay their eggs in her nest, there won't be any possibility of different stages of development, because the new eggs will never begin to develop, and they certainly won't begin to develop under the hen so as to make them inedible.

Why don’t you label the eggs that you want to keep under her?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Why don’t you label the eggs that you want to keep under her?

Well, partially because I'm not the OP.

Secondly, I got the impression she's already done that. Could be wrong, but she did mention removing the eggs the other hens laid there--I believe the main concern was disturbing the broody hen.

 

[Dkbahoo]

Well, partially because I'm not the OP.

Secondly, I got the impression she's already done that. Could be wrong, but she did mention removing the eggs the other hens laid there--I believe the main concern was disturbing the broody hen.

Lol ya oops... I actually just read through everything after I posted and realized some people just don’t like to reach under a hen. My broodies have never given me any issues with reaching under them, they know better lol

 

[sylviethecochin]

Lol ya oops... I actually just read through everything after I posted and realized some people just don’t like to reach under a hen. My broodies have never given me any issues with reaching under them, they know better lol

Mine aren't bothered either. But if it were my first broody hen, and the only one I'm likely to have, and I bought eggs for her and it's her first full setting--well, I certainly would be avoiding disturbing her.