Broody hen Problem! --Urgent--

[chickencrazy999]

Hello,
So I have just moved my broody silkie bantam outside into her own chicken tractor and inside I have a cat litter box and some eggs in it but all she is doing is walking outside and looking for a way out.And the fertile eggs are coming this Tuesday.What should I do Leave her and then shut her in at night or take her back in the coop and then see if she will settle in her own nest and then take her and put her back at night? Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

One of the risks in moving a broody is that she may break instead of move. That’s why it’s a good idea to move her and see if it takes before you order the eggs. Anyway, that’s next time. You need to deal with what you have now.

I’d suggest you let her go back to her nest for now. Don’t leave her until she breaks.

Then work on the area you want her to go. What I suggest is that you modify the nest so you can lock her in that nest and keep the nest dark. Don’t give her the option to get out of the nest itself. It could also help if you could cover the tractor enough to make it darker or at least not bright light. That darkness seems to soothe them. Make sure the new nest is not in the sun where it can become an oven.

Then tonight after everything is dark, using as little light and commotion as possible, move her to that new nest and lock her in with the fake or sacrificial eggs. Don’t give her the option to come out. Leave her locked in there tomorrow until just before dark. Then you can let her out to eat, drink, and poop. She may not even come out. No big deal. She’ll come out the next morning.

None of this stuff comes with guarantees but I think this gives you the best chance of success. Good luck!

 

[chickencrazy999]

Sorry didn't see your post yes I have got a door on the tractor and have covered it with some boards I will go and take her out now Thanks for the help

 

[chickencrazy999]

Update: I have just taken her out and put her back in the coop and she is now settled back with some unfertile eggs in the nest now I am having a problem do you think I should just leave her be and let her sit on the eggs where she is which is a hen house or move her at night like you said luckily she is not in the most popular nest which the bigger hens lay in but sometimes the bantams lay next to her and a young cockerel likes to hang around in there but apart from that theres no problem
any advice? Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is no right way or wrong way to do this. It’s a lot of personal preference, though some people have had problems because of their set-up or specific hens so one way might be better for them. Many people have legitimate reasons for isolating a broody, especially if their space it tight. Broody hens have been hatching and raising chicks with the flock for thousands of years. Sometimes there are problems but sometimes there are problems when you isolate them. You’re having one of those problems right now.

I let my hens hatch with the flock. The only time I ever had a problem with that was when another hen went broody and the two fought over the eggs. They destroyed half the eggs. I was not happy.

If you decide to let the hen hatch with the flock, when you get those fertile eggs, mark them so you know which eggs belong. I use a Sharpie and make two circles, the long way and the short way, so I can tell at a glance which eggs belong. Then every day fairly late after all the hens have laid, check under her for eggs that don’t belong. You can still use those eggs, there is nothing wrong with them.

That’s it. I’m around home practically all the time so I check on her a few times each day. On rare occasions I’ve had a hen go back to the wrong nest. Another hen as probably laying an egg in her nest so she got confused when she came back from her daily constitutional. I just stick her back on the right nest when that happens. I was gone one day and when I got home, of course that was the day it happened. Those eggs were ice cold to the touch. I just put her back on. She hatched 11 out of 11, interestingly a full day early.

 

[chickencrazy999]

Thank you so much this is very helpful information I have decided to let her hatch with the flock as she is much more happy.I have no problems with space as I only have 8 hens .which are out free ranging most of the day also when they hatch I will not have to reintroduce her and her chicks back into the flock

 

[sepaditty1]

I have my very first broody on day 2. I'm going to just leave everything alone & see how it works out. I don't have any experience & so I can't hope to improve on her instinct. Since I'm not too desperate for chicks, we'll call this one a trial run.