Broody hens... how to get them to set on one nest...

[Brunty_Farms]

I have two broody hens I'm going to attempt in trying to let them hatch out some buckeye eggs I received. They have been trying to set for about a week or so now and I think they are serious as they hunker down....

The problem.... they are in a layer house with about 250 other hens and come moring they are bombarded with hens trying to get in their nest that they are trying to set. I know to seperate them from the rest of the flock but with my experience with this in the past if I take them away from the coop and put them somewhere else they don't want to set on eggs... but try to go back to the coop where they initially decided to go broody.. How do I keep them from doing this?

Would it be best to section off a spot in the coop for them so the other hens can't get to them?

 

[Dirt Road]

Fix them a secluded pen and nest where they can't see the old pen. Then move them at night. I use a pen about 8 feet long, with solid sides up about 2 feet high. Almost never have one quit. About anything will work to block their view, vegetation, straw bales , wood, roofing paper, etc. It can be moved after they've settled in a few days.

Jim

 

[Lollipop]

Good advise, Jim. Just wanna add, I also start them on a few dummy eggs(real or fake) for the first couple nights in their new nest. Then, if she`s locked onto the new "eggs", I`ll replace them with the ones I want her to hatch. Do it all in the dark so the situation is less stressfull.......Pop