Broody Hen...Update pg2

[Barnyard]

Hey all! We have a broody hen in the coop. I know for a fact she is broody because she puffed up like a turkey and made this awefull noise at my son and another chicken. That was yesterday and She didn't go to roost with the other's last night. I have a question..... Do I leave her in the nesting box where she is in the coop or do I try to move her somewhere else? I have 6 nesting boxes and 6 hens. She is in the nesting box that all the hens use. Should I make her a nesting box closer to the ground or on the ground?

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I say leave her where she is.

 

[Bantymama]

I just went through this. I would move her if you can. I did not get her moved right away and i had a mess. She so far has hatced out 2 eggs and they are not even hers. when she gets up to eat and drink the others might lay their eggs in there and then you end up with a staggered hatch. If you leave her mark her eggs and take out any others that the other hens might lay while she is out. I have a portable brooder house and put her in the garage.

 

[Barnyard]

I am not as worried about her being in the coop as much as I am worried about how high up she is when/if she does hatch these babies. I am 5'4 and the nesting boxes are a little more than waste high. Poor thang is sitting on 3 eggs 2 of which I know are not her's but were laid on the same day.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

She does not care if they are her eggs or not. However, I would consider moving her. My problem, was when I leave them in the coop, and she got up, others got in her next. She then went and started sitting on another nest box with eggs. So I now move any broody hen out into a seperate place with her eggs were she is not bothered by the others.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

At some point you will need to move/separate her. The other hens may peck and injure or kill the chicks when they hatch.

 

[Barnyard]

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I know she don't care if they are her's are not, and they all should be fertile so I am gonna leave them with her. I don't leave any eggs in the coop. I collect them 3 times a day. I may try and put a nother box in there for her, but put in on the ground. What do you think? I really don't have anywhere else to put her right now I am still working on that. I have 19 new fluffy butts that I hatched and I have got to put them somewhere to.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I had a neighbor who put her broody into a dog carrier. It was big enough to put in a food and water dish and a little room to move. I think the main thing is to keep the others away. Whether it be in the same coop but, seperated or a totally different spot doesn't really matter for time being.

 

[Godsgrl]

Since we both posted on the same board, I think I'll let you in on something. Barnyard and I are co-owners of the same flock. LOL We're neighbors and good friends, and we landed in the chicken business together. LOL It's been fun learning together as we watch the chickens grow. Never did I ever think we would have a broody! In fact, I recently told Barnyard that chickens were great in that you could keep a male and not get over run with babies. Right! Oh yes, I know we could break her broody, we just don't want to this time. Have a great day!!

 

[Kaneke]

well, "Black Maria" just went broody -- the day before we were leaving on our trip

I had collected 21 daily eggs from her ... left one in the nest she chose ... and didn't catch her going broody until she'd been sitting most of one day .. so I left that "old" egg in with her

then Blondie, who'd been broody over 19 eggs ... decided she was moving off HER nest after 8 chickies had hatched ... so I scooped out the unhatched eggs .. checked weight (one was very lightweight, cracked it and discovered the chick had barely developed BUT there was no yolk left either !), and shoved the other 10 eggs under Black Maria

we'll see what happens when our tenant checks that nest tomorrow

those of you concerned about "hatch rate" --- some broody hens don't do much better ... 19 eggs -- one clearly didn't develop properly --- 8 live chicks, 10 eggs which probably didn't make it; she didn't even reach 50% ...

Candy

pretty day in Washington state, but Maui is nicer even when it rains ...