Broody Hen Thread!

[Morrigan]

That makes a lot of sense, Fisherlady. Thanks. I tried opening up the carrier again today, while the blocking off the door to the coop so that the other chickens wouldn't bother her. She didn't get off the nest, but I was able to see the chicks scramble out and eat and drink out of the dishes I had in the carrier. Mama called them back to the nest after a bit and they were able scramble back in without a problem. Maybe seeing them eat and drink has made mom feel less urgent about leaving her comfy nest.

I have another BO who seems to be practicing going broody, so hopefully all this learning is going to be put to repeat use!

 

[PortlandHen]

I just found one of my hen's eggs under her wing, and cold. It was the blue egg I candled yesterday and I hope it's ok. It was cold. No idea how long she was off of it. All the others were still under her and warm. Hopefully she just adjusted and it slipped out only for about an hour? I guess we'll find out.

 

[idontknowsquat]

from broody to mommy

 

[Dknichelson]

from broody to mommy

So cute! We have 2 more days! Can't wait!

 

[EnnisLakeFarm]

I'm going to place a few eggs under my broody tomorrow night. They've been in the incubator and tomorrow would be lock down. I'm so excited for her to be a Mama!

 

[elliechooks]

I'm going to place a few eggs under my broody tomorrow night. They've been in the incubator and tomorrow would be lock down. I'm so excited for her to be a Mama!

I just did the same, while my hen was off the nest having her breakfast this morning I switched her fake & infertile eggs for some that have been in my incubator - due to hatch Saturday. She returned to the nest and has settled on them happily

 

[sonderah]

I'm going to place a few eggs under my broody tomorrow night. They've been in the incubator and tomorrow would be lock down. I'm so excited for her to be a Mama!

Lol Me too!! I gave mine some that r due Friday. Just because I've never had a broody, & didn't want to wait 3 weeks to watch her raise chicks!!

 

[fiddlebanshee]

I have a hen that is broody, it's her and my first time using a broody and I stuck 6 eggs under her. Now the problem is that she is in a communal nest. The walls are about a foot high, so when the chicks hatch they will not be able to get out of the nestbox. Plus the other hens are sitting on top of her to lay their eggs (although the nest box is pretty big) and she keeps accumulating more eggs under her. I marked the ones that I want her to hatch and remove the other ones daily. She ended up breaking one of the eggs I wanted her to hatch. So that is also my additonal worry, because she is pushed around by the other hens that want to brood, she may break more eggs.

So I thought I was clever and tried to relocate the entire clutch and hen to a dog carrier in a different coop, so that she could have privacy and not be disturbed (by me or the other hens). But it didn't work so well. She kept thrashing around in the crate and eventually I let her out. She spent the night on the roost in that coop and then joined the others the next day, and ..... drumroll.... sat in the same spot in the nest box the entire day on golfballs. She is commited to be broody but only wants to sit in that one spot.

Questions:
1. Is there still a way to relocate her without upsetting her so much? I moved her during the day, maybe I should have done it at night?
2. Should I put her in a crate in the same coop with the other hens, would it be easier on her if she could see her flock?
3. Should I wait until the chicks are born and then move the entire family to the other coop?
4. Should I just leave her be and let her figure it out?

Any advice from you broody - pro's is appreciated.

 

[Peach Mom]

I have a hen that is broody, it's her and my first time using a broody and I stuck 6 eggs under her. Now the problem is that she is in a communal nest. The walls are about a foot high, so when the chicks hatch they will not be able to get out of the nestbox. Plus the other hens are sitting on top of her to lay their eggs (although the nest box is pretty big) and she keeps accumulating more eggs under her. I marked the ones that I want her to hatch and remove the other ones daily. She ended up breaking one of the eggs I wanted her to hatch. So that is also my additonal worry, because she is pushed around by the other hens that want to brood, she may break more eggs.

So I thought I was clever and tried to relocate the entire clutch and hen to a dog carrier in a different coop, so that she could have privacy and not be disturbed (by me or the other hens). But it didn't work so well. She kept thrashing around in the crate and eventually I let her out. She spent the night on the roost in that coop and then joined the others the next day, and ..... drumroll.... sat in the same spot in the nest box the entire day on golfballs. She is commited to be broody but only wants to sit in that one spot.

Questions:
1. Is there still a way to relocate her without upsetting her so much? I moved her during the day, maybe I should have done it at night?
2. Should I put her in a crate in the same coop with the other hens, would it be easier on her if she could see her flock?
3. Should I wait until the chicks are born and then move the entire family to the other coop?
4. Should I just leave her be and let her figure it out?

Any advice from you broody - pro's is appreciated.

I am far from a pro but recently had the same situation. I tried to move a super broody hen that hatched for me last year. I did it during the day thinking "this one would rather sit eggs than breath." My experience was exactly what you described. Night time it seems is the time to do it. I set everything up for her and within 1/2 hour she settled down and sat her eggs all night. She has been happy as a clam ever since. I know there are those that do hatch in the hen house. I would at least try to get her sitting her eggs on the floor (maybe in an unattached nest box of some sort) so that the babies are able to get to food and water once they hatch.

 

[Morrigan]

Cutting and pasting my comment from another thread. I moved mine at night and kept the dog carrier in the same coop --

It worked well in that she stayed broody and I got chicks. It also was nice that she could stay in the coop with the flock and maintain her spot on the pecking order.

The only word of caution is that your hen will need to have access to spot to go to the bathroom. I first tried opening the door to the carrier for a hour a day while the other chickens were occupied, but no luck. On day 3, I saw she had soiled her nest. After that I began forcibly removing her from the carrier once a day. I was fortunate that (1) she was an easy-going chicken and let me handle her without too much fuss, and (2) she alway came back after 20 minutes. I really didn't love having to wrestle her out of the cage every day though, or waiting around for 20 minutes to make sure no one else commandeered her nest in the carrier while she was out in the yard.

There was room in the carrier for her to step off the nest to bathroom, but she never seemed willing to do that.

Next time a hen goes broody, I may try leaving her where she is, and put out extra nest boxes and see how that goes for comparison. That's not perfect either I know . . .