Broody hen question...

[Kathryn4629]

Well it looks like my LF Cochin has gone broody. She went broody about three times last year (she was very persistent about it), I didn't let her hatch any eggs as I didn't have a rooster.

She has been on the nest all day and I just went out to shut them in for the night and she was still on the nest. I stuck my hand underneath her to get the eggs and she did the angry hiss/cluck at me.

I currently have 9 two week old chicks in the brooder and 10 saved eggs and 12 more in the mail (Dorkings

) Should I give her the eggs from my flock or the shipped ones, does it matter which ones? How many do you think she could safely hatch? She is a very large, fluffy hen, way bigger than my buff orpingtons. Any chance I could get her to adopt the two week olds, in order to free up the brooder?

I am not sure where I would put her in the first place? I have an extra large dog crate that I believe would work. I dont really have extra room in the coop to make her a special place. Do I need to add a light for her?

In other words, I need some advice please

Edited to add: Golly I wish I could bump my own post.....

 

[aussieheelr]

I don't know about getting her to take 2 week old chicks. Personally I would put the eggs under her instead and i think a LF bird should beable to take a solid dozen easy. I can fit 5-7 full sized eggs under my banty cochins just fine. My one that is broody right now (1st timer) pooped all over her eggs, my bad for not giving her enough space though I think, anyway her eggs died from the germies in the poo so I gave her 6-1 day olds that we hatched in the bator and she took them gladly.

 

[Kathryn4629]

Quote:
Thanks! I was thinking along the lines of 12 or so eggs. She is a BIG fluffy girl. Should I give her an actual box to set in or just straw in the dog crate (if I use it).

 

[Mahonri]

If she's big and fluffy she might take as many as 15

 

[Judy]

If your space is that small you might consider just leaving her where she is and letting her hatch with the flock. Takes a little attention, you need to mark the hatching eggs then check at least daily to see if any have been added. But she will protect the chicks when they hatch from the flock and then you won't have to integrate the new chicks, it will already be done. This is basically what I have done. i have tried moving one who is already broody and had her freak out and struggle to get back to her original nest. Doesn't matter that I moved her eggs with her. I have about a 5x6 broody pen in my coop, so it's not like I had to put her in a cage, and she could get up to eat, etc. when she chose. The chicks always want out of the pen in a couple of days and I always wind up letting them do what they want to do. Never had another hen harm chicks, but I've only done this 4 or 5 times.

Other poster is right, no way a broody will accept two week old chicks, she will attack them. Only works with very young chicks, a few days old.

There's another thread going about broodies now. Last time I looked, a lot of them were being left with the flock.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=457488