Broody hen won't stay put...

[McGobs]

Its out of season...and the cold weather is really starting to sink in up here in Maine...perfect time for one of my silkies to decide to go broody

. Anyway...thats not really the issue. I'm ok with her going broody...eventually...I'll need to start the cycle again at some point...but the dead of winter isn't it.

The problem I'm seeing is, she won't stay in one box. I have 12 layers, and 5 boxes at this time. For the last couple of days, she has been broody, but I've never seen her in the same box twice. She moves around...leaving the eggs, and sitting on different eggs.

When I eventually decide to let her hatch some eggs...should I confine her to a pen with one box?

 

[donrae]

Sounds like a good idea. Lots of folks confine them so they're setting on the same eggs and eggs don't keep getting added by other hens.