Broody hen won't move

[Willie84]

Hi so I have moved my broody hen and her nest into a brooder but it seems like she hasn't moved in two days, since the night I moved her into the coop. I'm worried about her health will she get up eventually and have a feed or will I have to move her myself? She is now so protective of the nest I don't want to stress her out anymore than I have to. Anyone's thoughts would be appreciated

 

[QueenMisha]

Most hens will get up at least once a day, but some might have to be encouraged. There's no harm in physically removing her from the nest and placing her near the feed once a day.

Edit: Oh, didn't notice you were new. Welcome to BYC!

 

[appps]

I'm also new to BYC and to chickens.  By reading everyone's post I believe I have a broody.  She will not get off the nest so I pick her up and put her with the others just to have her run straight back to the coop.  My other chickens have stopped going in to lay.  I worried and wondering what to do?  Please help!!

spenje

If you search breaking broody you will get lots of threads that may help too but in a nutshell if you don't plan to give her eggs to hatch then there is nothing to be gained by letting her sit, eating and drinking very little and not laying, for the next couple of months till she eventually gets tired (or undernourished) enough to stop.

To make her stop there is only one thing you have to do, keep her off the nest 24 hrs per day. Continue that for 3-4 days. If you let her keep running back or you let her sleep on it at night it won't work and will just keep going on and on.

How you keep her off really doesn't matter. I just ran some cheap plastic mesh wire up one end of my run and confine them in there during the day to wander round (read pace with frustration lol) with food and water and then around 4:30pm lock my nesting box up and let her back in with everyone else. Works fine. Others lock them in small cages, dunk them in water or put ice cubes under them in small cages. They all work because they are all keeping them off the nest. I just find the the barrier at the end of the run easy.

And agree with aart. If you decide to hatch think about more than the cute bundles off fluff at the end. Having had to Rehome a kids pet rooster due to noise complaints if you aren't ready to accept most of your male chicks will not in fact find happy homes but rather will end up dinner you probably should stick with breaking the broody

 

[CuzChickens]

Welcome to Backyard chickens Willie84!! I hope you enjoy it and the camaraderie here and everybody that goes nuts over chickens (me being one of them....) Have fun! And ask questions! I agree with QueenMisha, they do stay on the nest alot and you may not see them get out, but if they are dedicated, getting them out of the box once or twice a day will not hurt them.

 

[Willie84]

Ok thanks cuzchickens I'm pretty new to the chicken life but already I'm addicted.Thanks QueenMisha also. I have moved her off the nest today but she just sat down where I placed her, the food is there so I guess I will have to wait and see.

 

[aart]

When my broody hadn't gotten up to eat or drink after a few days I had to dip her beak in the water a couple times,
then she broke out of her trance and drank and drank, then ate and ate, then sprinted around around the run, took a furious dust bath, dropped a HUGE turd, then back to the nest. After that she got up on her own regularly.

 

[Willie84]

Yeah I have done that too, she knows where the food and water is and it's obvious she has been drinking. She is now on day 20 so fingers crossed tomorrow we get some little ones to expand the flock

 

[aart]

Hi so I have moved my broody hen and her nest into a brooder but it seems like she hasn't moved in two days, since the night I moved her into the coop. I'm worried about her health will she get up eventually and have a feed or will I have to move her myself? She is now so protective of the nest I don't want to stress her out anymore than I have to. Anyone's thoughts would be appreciated

Yeah I have done that too, she knows where the food and water is and it's obvious she has been drinking. She is now on day 20 so fingers crossed tomorrow we get some little ones to expand the flock

From your first post a day or so ago, I thought she was only on day 2 of incubation.
But last few days of incubation they often don't get off the nest.

 

[Willie84]

No, sorry I should have said that. Would she take well to day old chicks if I placed them in at night if these eggs don't hatch?

 

[aart]

No, sorry I should have said that. Would she take well to day old chicks if I placed them in at night if these eggs don't hatch?

That can be quite successful.
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