Broody Hen Thread!

[christine9]

So I have a quick question. Well, really just looking for opinions. I have my first broody that I'm letting try to hatch eggs. I've read so much about people moving their broody and clutch/chicks into an area of their own. This broody girl is my flightiest one. I'm nervous that moving her may cause her to abandon them. So I guess what I'm wondering is when is the best time to move her? Obviously at night, but is there a best time during broodiness where she is most likely to return to them?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

So I have a quick question. Well, really just looking for opinions. I have my first broody that I'm letting try to hatch eggs. I've read so much about people moving their broody and clutch/chicks into an area of their own. This broody girl is my flightiest one. I'm nervous that moving her may cause her to abandon them. So I guess what I'm wondering is when is the best time to move her? Obviously at night, but is there a best time during broodiness where she is most likely to return to them?

I like to move them at the beginning, after they have shown me they look serious. I do that with fake eggs or duds. That way if they refuse to set up in the new nest, no loss in eggs, and I haven't lost much time in the brood process...I know I've still got plenty of time to start over again back in the old place (subdividing for isolation) or try the move again as hens typically set for 4 to 5 weeks if they hear chicks underneath them growing in the shells.

Yes, it is best to move at night. It is best to take her current nest material with her so that the new place looks and feels as much as possible like the old place. If you can one night set her nesting material and fake eggs into an insert, let her settle, than another night move the whole thing, it may go easier on her.

Good luck, and keep us posted.
LofMc

 

[christine9]

I like to move them at the beginning, after they have shown me they look serious. I do that with fake eggs or duds. That way if they refuse to set up in the new nest, no loss in eggs, and I haven't lost much time in the brood process...I know I've still got plenty of time to start over again back in the old place (subdividing for isolation) or try the move again as hens typically set for 4 to 5 weeks if they hear chicks underneath them growing in the shells.

Yes, it is best to move at night. It is best to take her current nest material with her so that the new place looks and feels as much as possible like the old place. If you can one night set her nesting material and fake eggs into an insert, let her settle, than another night move the whole thing, it may go easier on her.

Good luck, and keep us posted.
LofMc

Awesome suggestion! I think I have a cardboard box about the size of the best box. I think if I will sneak it in midday when she takes her five minute break. Then I'll move the whole box at night. I'm so excited! I think it will work. She's been sitting for about 5 or 6 days so I'm going to do it as soon as possible. Thank you!!

 

[farmhand]

I have a one year old Cream Legbar over EE cross that is toying with going broody. But every night she is roosting with the others. I'm leaving non-fertal eggs I've marked for her hoping she comes around. I have 14 eggs in a incubator for Easter which I think is more than she could handle. Hoping if she gets serious I could give her some and hopefully give her the other chicks after they hatch. That's my plan. Open to ideas.

 

[christine9]

Well my little broody did not fall for my tricks. When she came back from her 5 minute break and her nest was in the box, she started yelling and pacing. She built a new nest just outside the box and moved each egg over. Stinker!! I managed to catch her and get her into the new space, but she escaped the second I opened the door again. I think I'm going to leave her alone for now. I may be able to build her a shelter in place. Going to start working on ideas for that.

 

[down-home Dave]

I think one of my hens went broody. She is in the nest right now, and I only collected 4 eggs today. I've been collecting 6 to 11 eggs a day. I've never seen a hen in the nesting box at night, so I think she's trying to set eggs. I'll know for sure if I find her there tomorrow. Don't know how many are under her, either. If she does hatch some out, I'd have to pull them out and brood them separate for fear that they'd fall out of the raised coop. (3' high) Is there a safe way to maybe move the mom and unhatched eggs to another area, or will that just mess things up?

 

[chicksurreal]

Here is my broody Mama. She has a couple of siblings who are wanting to join her and I am trying to discourage. I still need eggs to eat.

This is the Papa to be if all works out.

Gorgeous! I hope all works out for you and them!

 

[chicksurreal]

One of our 30 week old Dark Cornish girls was in a nesting box at sundown and wouldn't leave, she was fluffed out and really grumpy looking. There are eggs under her from the days lay (6-8, I didn't count all).

When we tried to move her she hissed and spit and growled and just flattened herself out over the eggs even more. I just wonder if she is too young to be seriously broody. I know DC do tend to be broody, or at least that's what I've read. We have 13 of them and this is our first experience with a potential broody. I don't mind if she wants to hatch, we have a Cuckoo Marans roo in the flock, so the eggs are probably fertilized. I just wonder if she's serious...

 

[ShockValue]

We're been waiting for a broody for a couple of months now. Finally have everything in place and I picked up my fertile eggs today and stuck them all next to her. 1 minute later she had scooted them all underneath and was fluffed up and wanting to be left alone. So far she seems to be sitting tight on the nest and I hope this continues. I too am contemplating how to move her without ruining things. My plan is to put a pet carrier in the coop on the floor. The current nest box that she's hogging is not a good place for chicks (1.5 feet up off the floor). I'm curious what would happen if I moved her and the eggs down into the carrier just after nightfall, and then shut the door on her so she can't leave for like.. 24 hours maybe? My only concern with this is that she would get frantic and damage her brood. Open to suggestions.

 

[aart]

We're been waiting for a broody for a couple of months now. Finally have everything in place and I picked up my fertile eggs today and stuck them all next to her. 1 minute later she had scooted them all underneath and was fluffed up and wanting to be left alone. So far she seems to be sitting tight on the nest and I hope this continues. I too am contemplating how to move her without ruining things. My plan is to put a pet carrier in the coop on the floor. The current nest box that she's hogging is not a good place for chicks (1.5 feet up off the floor). I'm curious what would happen if I moved her and the eggs down into the carrier just after nightfall, and then shut the door on her so she can't leave for like.. 24 hours maybe? My only concern with this is that she would get frantic and damage her brood. Open to suggestions.

I would move her to the carrier with some fake eggs and test her out there for a couple days before giving her fertile eggs....you may have to block her from the other nests until they chicks hatch tho.