Broody hen: OK in a dog crate the entire time?

[Lamoor]

I have a small coop with 6 nest boxes, two fenced runs and 12 hens and one rooster (5 Araucana mixes, 3 Buff Orpingtons, 1 red sex link, one black sex link, 1 Barred Plymouth Rock, and a spectacular Lavender Orpington hen and rooster) ..

one of the Buff Orpingtons has gone broody in a big way, and I decided to give her the time and space to do her thing. She is sitting on a half dozen fertilized eggs and last night I moved her and the eggs into a shavings-lined, XL dog crate, the plastic kind with a metal wire door. In my screened in porch, this way I can keep an eye on her.

I don't think she has budged since last night, as she is sitting tight on the eggs so I am assuming she will remain like this until /if the eggs hatch..

question is, will she be alright in that crate for the next few weeks? Without being let out for a run?

There is just enough room to get out of the nest, walk a foot or so to the food and water, do her thing and go back to the nest, but is that enough space and exercise for her?

 

[bobbi-j]

I have two broody hens sharing the same type of crate, only I put each of mine on a dozen eggs in her own plastic dishpan and put both dishpans in the crate. The difference is, mine are in the coop. I have a small space blocked off for them right now, but when I'm comfortable in thinking that the other hens won't go in their nests to lay their own eggs, I will take that barrier down. I don't know that it much matters, though. Broodies aren't much interested in being out and about much when they're setting. They are only interested in hatching those eggs. Is there a way you can leave the door to the coop and to your porch open for her so she could go outside and scratch around in the yard for a few minutes if she wanted to? That's what I'd do in your situation.

 

[centrarchid]

The moving of the broody may end up breaking her. That is how I break it. If she stays broody in crate, you may need to keep her near it when she comes off to use bathroom and eat. I would make so she can at least get out of the crate each day.

 

[donrae]

I like to let them brood in the coop, that way the babies are members of the flock from the start. Honestly, I don't think it sounds like enough space. My broodys like to dust bathe in a serious way, and terrorizing the other hens in the flock seems to be a part of it, too! I think the momma is getting is set in everyone else's head she's not to be messed with, to keep the chicks safe after they hatch.

Do you have enough space for another dozen chickens? And what do you plan to do with approx 6 roosters?

 

[NosiphoChooks]

I have two broodys sitting in dog crates at the moment. I just let them out for ten minutes each evening and then catch them and put them back on the eggs. Otherwise they will poop all over the eggs and you might get some die sue to bacteria. I leave them in their crates all day and they seem content sitting on eggs.

I have one BO with 4 2 week old chicks, I open her crate and the shed door in the day and she roams around in the yard with them.