Broody hen ....Move her or keep her where she is?

[Alicat4244]

I have a Broody that just will not break! She has been this way for a month, yesterday I got her 2 fertile eggs to hatch. I'm still new to chickens in general so this whole hatching eggs is really making my mind spin. First off my chickens free range so they basically only use the coop at night this is where she has set up shop. I have a smaller tractor I use when I transition new ones to the group I tried to put her in there and she acted very very distressed so I let her out ,she went right back to her nest in the large coop . So my question is .....is this set up ok? Can I just leave her where she is ? Or should I try again with the tractor area where she'd be more confined?

 

[chicmom]

Oh yes, that's a fine location. She'll be safe there. Sometimes a broody will disappear and show up weeks later with chicks. Just let her be. She'll probably frantically hop outside and make a huge poo, peck around for some food and drink a bit, then get right back on the nest. Broodies do that about once a day.

 

[Alicat4244]

I decided to just leave her in the large coop moving her upsets her too much .

 

[khdevine]

We had the same thing happen to us! We've had chickens a couple years but just had one go broody about a month ago. I bought her 6 fertilized eggs, built her a small brooder, and moved her at night (thats when everyone recommended moving them) to the new eggs. She did great! 20/21 days later we had three new babies. We weren't really planning on adding to our flock, but I felt like we should give her the chance to be a momma hen! I'm so glad we did!

 

[song of joy]

She's safe enough there, but you'll have some management complications with her setting in an area where other hens lay eggs. 1) You will need to mark the fertile eggs you put under her; 2) on a daily basis, remove any eggs that other hens add to her clutch, and 3) make sure that when she gets off the nest to eat/drink/poo that she doesn't move to a different nest box (if she does, the fertile eggs will cool and die).

Also, chicks can be vulnerable to attack by other flock members during the 24 to 48-hour hatch period, but this will probably not be a problem with only 2 eggs to hatch out.

 

[Alicat4244]

She's safe enough there, but you'll have some management complications with her setting in an area where other hens lay eggs. 1) You will need to mark the fertile eggs you put under her; 2) on a daily basis, remove any eggs that other hens add to her clutch, and 3) make sure that when she gets off the nest to eat/drink/poo that she doesn't move to a different nest box (if she does, the fertile eggs will cool and die).

Also, chicks can be vulnerable to attack by other flock members during the 24 to 48-hour hatch period, but this will probably not be a problem with only 2 eggs to hatch out.

 

[Alicat4244]

Thanks for your reply I'm hoping all goes well seeing that she's the boss of the group. When she does get out for her short eating/ drinking and potty break the other ones run as far away as they can lol they don't mess with her I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed

 

[song of joy]

Sounds like she'll be a good mamma!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I am not as optimistic as some who posted in this thread. I have frequently posted that hens are ruled by their hormones and under no conditions are hens machines. Your hen will likely abandon the fertile eggs that you just gifted her with because by the time they will supposedly hatch your hen will be 7 weeks or more on the nest. Flesh, and blood are only so strong, but not this strong..

 

[Alicat4244]

I am not as optimistic as some who posted in this thread. I have frequently posted that hens are ruled by their hormones and under no conditions are hens machines. Your hen will likely abandon the fertile eggs that you just gifted her with because by the time they will supposedly hatch your hen will be 7 weeks or more on the nest. Flesh, and blood are only so strong, but not this strong..

Well all I can do is wait and see ,... we failed at trying to break her .... so this is I feel like a last effort.. What else to do? I'm relatively new (only been a chicken owner for a year) and still learning as I go ...if she abandons them then she does and hopefully she won't be broody anymore . I love all my animals I never look at them as machines ( in case that's what you're implying).... she is my main concern