Broody hen

[Sarajane330]

This is my first time having a broody hen.
I’m pretty sure I have a broody hen. She has been sitting on eggs for about a day and half now. She has no feathers on her belly (which I’m assuming is normal when hens go broody) She has been sitting in a box that is pretty popular. This morning when I let my chickens out she wasn’t in there. Which I know they get down to eat and drink for a short time. And I have gone out a couple of times to check and there has been two other hens in the box (not broody hens)
My question is, can I move her and the eggs into a big brooding box I have in our garage and will she continue to lay on them?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

She might continue to brood or ahe might not. They bond more to the place than the eggs and moving can break them. It took me almost 3 days to get a bantam Cochin pullet to move to the nest box next to the one she was trying to brood in(identical in every way except it was not in the exact same spot) because it was already taken by a broody

 

[Silkie Princess]

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[Silkie Princess]

Please check out my articles! And don’t forget to give a review!

(They are About broody hens)

 

[Sarajane330]

Please check out my articles! And don’t forget to give a review!

How do I get to your articles?

 

[Silkie Princess]

How do I get to your articles?

Whoops! Forgot the link Here!

 

[Silkie Princess]

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And I am pretty sure you will get to the other ones from here. Either way the second article is here!

 

[aart]

My question is, can I move her and the eggs into a big brooding box I have in our garage and will she continue to lay on them?

Yes, but it's best for them to stay near the flock.
Is your coop big enough to fence off a 3x4' section?


When I have a broody and want her to hatch 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.

I remove barrier about one week after hatch. The chicks are usually safe it's the broody who has to 'fight' her way back into the pecking order...which can be quick or take a few days.
Lots of space helps for re-integration.

 

[RoosterML]

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Nothing like giving your own plug

 

[Sarajane330]

Yes, but it's best for them to stay near the flock.
Is your coop big enough to fence off a 3x4' section?


When I have a broody and want her to hatch 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.

I remove barrier about one week after hatch. The chicks are usually safe it's the broody who has to 'fight' her way back into the pecking order...which can be quick or take a few days.
Lots of space helps for re-integration.
View attachment 2805830

I put her in the brooding box in one of our garages Friday night. We left for the weekend for hunting. I checked her this morning and she is laying on them. The chicks will be safe in there until they get feathered and then I will put her and the hen in the run. When we made the run, we put a door that they can go in and out of for the winter so I can close that off so the older chickens can’t get to the chicks.