Broody Hen

[jimhand77]

I believe I have a broody hen. She is hissing when you get close. I put more eggs near her and she stole them all to sit on. Should I separate her to a laying pen or let her stay? I kinda want it to be a natural thing but am concerned she will get enticed out of the nesting box!! Anyone have experience with this?

 

[sourland]

It would be good if you could adjust things so the rest of the flock does not have access to the nest site. Could you fence it off ?

 

[aart]

My go-to signs of a broody:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
Are there feathers in the nest, and missing from her breast/belly?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.


When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

 

[jimhand77]

Thanks all I am watching her close she left the nest been about an hour now. Will see if she comes back. She was hissing at me never done that. I will let you know what I do and how it works out. Thank you