Broody hen switched nestbox

[mlh328]

I have my first broody hen that has been sitting on dummy eggs for 4 days while we wait for fertile eggs to arrive (hopefully tomorrow.) She is in the coop with my 5 other hens and up until today they haven't messed with her. They don't bother her while she's in the nest but I think they snuck in when she got up to eat. When I came home today there were 2 eggs from other hens in her original nest and she had moved over to the next empty nest box. I gave her back the dummy eggs and she scooted them underneath her right away. She has used the same nest box for a week straight until today. Do they normally switch nests like this? She was so content in the first box it didn't cross my mind to separate her until today. I don't want to give her real eggs just to have her pick up and move again and risk losing them. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

[RevlisRemmah]

In my very limited experience, a broody has a hard time staying in the same nest box. Either because other chickens think the box they have is the premier space to be or they move to a box that may have a larger clutch. I had a terrible time trying to get eggs to hatch in a nest box. Even my sweet hens began to bully the broody out of the way.
I ended up using a little hutch box I had gotten for my rabbit on the floor of the coop and I’ve had 3 successful clutches in there.

edited to add- I have 5 nest boxes and 15 layers in this coop so theoretically that should be enough boxes. They would kick her out often.

 

[mlh328]

@RevlisRemmah thanks for the quick reply! So did you leave that down on the floor with the door open then so mom can come and go when she needs a break? Do the others stay out of it? I have a pretty small coop but I think I could make something like this...

 

[RevlisRemmah]

@RevlisRemmah thanks for the quick reply! So did you leave that down on the floor with the door open then so mom can come and go when she needs a break? Do the others stay out of it? I have a pretty small coop but I think I could make something like this...

I did and do leave it open so she can move freely. I moved it in when she was already broody, had her sit on fake eggs in there for a few days (she went back the nest boxes at a few times at first but I would just put her back in the hutch box) and once she was established I gave her a clutch of real eggs.

One very persistent sister bothered her all the time (she’s in the box with her in the first picture) but otherwise she was left alone by the other hens. It was easy for her to defend and then once the chicks hatched they have a little den to escape to for awhile!

 

[mlh328]

@RevlisRemmah thank you! This is SO much simpler than i was thinking it would be!

 

[RevlisRemmah]

Im so glad!! I hope you have a great experience. I’ve had so much fun this summer watching all the littles hatch and integrate into the flock!!! Keep us updated

 

[mlh328]

Had anyone done this sort of thing with one of those lidded kitty litter boxes? Trying to think of an easy cheap way without having to actually build something.