Broody hen in shared coop?

[Duckduckgoosie]

I set eggs under my broody yesterday but today found her on different eggs. I’d set her up in her preferred corner in a small pet carrier (with door removed). End of day today she was in the other nest box on a fresh clutch of today’s eggs and the ones I’d given her had gone cold. I put her back on her clutch but should we just start over? And should I fence her in so she stays only with the eggs I want her on?

 

[Perris]

It is possible, but you have either to accommodate to her preferred nesting box (not an unfamiliar one), or confine her in the place you want her to stay.

Unless she's confined, other hens may interrupt her sitting and add eggs; you have to watch for when she comes off for daily ablutions, to eat and drink and bathe, and make sure no other hen goes onto the nest while she's at it; and then check she goes back to the right nest. That requires you to keep a close eye, especially early on until she establishes a regular routine. My most experienced broodies now come to the back door and squawk for food when they're off, so I can put food down for them and then go guard the nest till they come back (about 20-30 mins later, usually), but it's taken years to get to this point. (Incidentally, I give high protein feed aplenty to a broody, lots of fresh mealworms, tinned sardines, bread and milk etc with their grain, and I think it helps establish this routine, as well as preserve better body condition, and shorten the time off the nest.)

That's more work than most people can or want to invest, so they block the nest she's in and then lift her off/out daily for food etc.

You don't need to start over. Going cold doesn't normally matter to eggs early on in the incubation process. (I happen to have done a lot of reading on the topic recently.)

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

It is possible, but you have either to accommodate to her preferred nesting box (not an unfamiliar one), or confine her in the place you want her to stay.

Unless she's confined, other hens may interrupt her sitting and add eggs; you have to watch for when she comes off for daily ablutions, to eat and drink and bathe, and make sure no other hen goes onto the nest while she's at it; and then check she goes back to the right nest. That requires you to keep a close eye, especially early on until she establishes a regular routine. My most experienced broodies now come to the back door and squawk for food when they're off, so I can put food down for them and then go guard the nest till they come back (about 20-30 mins later, usually), but it's taken years to get to this point. (Incidentally, I give high protein feed aplenty to a broody, lots of fresh mealworms, tinned sardines, bread and milk etc with their grain, and I think it helps establish this routine, as well as preserve better body condition, and shorten the time off the nest.)

That's more work than most people can or want to invest, so they block the nest she's in and then lift her off/out daily for food etc.

You don't need to start over. Going cold doesn't normally matter to eggs early on in the incubation process. (I happen to have done a lot of reading on the topic recently.)

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Thank you, that’s so helpful. I put her in a animal carrier and will add food & water, and give breaks

 

[Perris]

Thank you, that’s so helpful. I put her in a animal carrier and will add food & water, and give breaks

she will probably ignore the food and water while she's in broody trance.
Look out for the huge broody poops; don't want any of them in the nest. Good luck!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I set eggs under my broody yesterday but today found her on different eggs. I’d set her up in her preferred corner in a small pet carrier (with door removed). End of day today she was in the other nest box on a fresh clutch of today’s eggs and the ones I’d given her had gone cold. I put her back on her clutch but should we just start over? And should I fence her in so she stays only with the eggs I want her on?

My hen kept doing the same thing! So I put her in one of my brooder boxes and would take her out every morning so she could scratch and do what she needed to do. It worked pretty well and she hatched a sweet little baby!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

And should I fence her in so she stays only with the eggs I want her on?

Nest hopping is a sign to me.. of not a preferred successful broody.. Either inexperienced, low in the pecking order, or just not the right type despite the hormones developing. Also possibly the hormones are still building all the way and the "trance" may not fully be set in just yet??

My hens sit on their eggs and raise their chicks with my flock. Yes other hens try to and do lay eggs in her nest.. make sure the hatching eggs are well marked and collect new deposits nightly.

Beyond feeding a balanced formulated diet.. at the standard location because they have to come off the nest to poop, stretch, etc.. I don't believe the extra snack do maintain body condition. But I do believe that maintaining pecking order is important.

I do agree that you may have to accommodate her preferred nest. Locking them into a carrier etc.. is (or at least can be) a perfect way to break the broodiness.. as they may not choose to recognize that nest as their normal safe space.. usually broody hormones are super established by the time chicks are peeping and eggs are hatching.. they *may* stick tight and not leave.

I'm not sure what folks call "high protein" feed if they don't specify.. the professionals consider 16% to be high, Some veterinary resources suggest around 18% for dual purpose birds, I consider 20% to be sufficient (amino acid content), and have used 30% protein turkey starter.. 30% lowered my hatch rate.. Excess protein beyond what the body can use.. is excreted as nitrogen in extra smelly droppings.

Please note.. I'm not saying anyone else is wrong.. we all have to figure out what works for us and our flocks, with our set ups, differing thoughts, etc. Broody's are still a lot of work to me, even the better ones. It's still an experience I hope I never forget!

I agree the first eggs may still be good enough as they're development is YET to start.

When all else fails and if I don't want to deal with roosters or would like to try another breed, etc.. adopting her sexed hatchery or feed store chicks (tucked in after dark so they stay under and she feels and chats with them) has also been a fantastic option.

Happy hatching!

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

I set eggs under my broody yesterday but today found her on different eggs. I’d set her up in her preferred corner in a small pet carrier (with door removed). End of day today she was in the other nest box on a fresh clutch of today’s eggs and the ones I’d given her had gone cold. I put her back on her clutch but should we just start over? And should I fence her in so she stays only with the eggs I want her on?

This last brood, our Mama would be off for an hour or more and end up switched, but only about five times out of the entire sitting. She also chose a different nest box than last time so it was harder to control who had access. Chick one just hatched this morning

 

[Perris]

they're development is YET to start.

Actually they start developing as soon as they're fertilised, and they continue as long as the egg is above about 25 C (so while it's in the hen's body working its way down the oviduct), and they pause if the temp drops below that, to resume (in most cases) when it rises again. They can tolerate a lot of these pauses during the first week of development or thereabouts, as the hen builds a clutch, one egg a day, until she decides it's enough and starts to sit.

This mechanism has evolved as chicks from a clutch that hatches simultaneously have a better chance of survival than those from a staggered hatch.

 

[Yardmom]

I have found that for me locking broodies in dog crates works well. I release them (some need pushed out) once or twice a day. Leaving food to close to the nest causes very dirty nests, so no food in the creates. In the first week sometimes broodies return to their original nest, but I have no problem moving them back to the crate. After a bit the broodies come back on their own to the create after their break.

I would not except your eggs to be harmed with the nest switch. I forgot to let a broody in one day (8 hours 60 degree s). She had a perfect hatch. If you want you could candle the eggs in a few days to make sure.