Broody in Feb!!!??

[fordmommy]

Chicken Girl.......

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[pnp4kidz]

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If she's sitting on them and is content, you can just leave her do her job. But....sometimes the othe girls will crawl into the nesting box and lay THEIR eggs ON her. Some people move the broody to a sacluded location because of this. Your choice. You do what best for your flock. Some people are concerned that their hens don't get off the nesting box to eat and drink for days. It may happen. You may feel you need to intervene there too. Again. You do what you think is best for your flock. If they are sitting all day, then they are sitting all day and night. And that's when you are to have day #1. Then....you wait......and wait....and wait some more. It'll be the longest 21 days of your life, I swear. Keep us posted. Good luck!

I agree with fordmommy, but another thing you need to consider is the height of the nest. Can the chicks get in and out? They will need to be able to get to food and water. Also, if one would fall out, she can't get it back in. She may leave all the others to warm the one, or the one may die because she won't leave the others.

Oh boy, the nest box is up off the ground, so they wouldn't be able to climb back in... so, I guess I should move them... better now, mid sit, or later... ?

thanks!

 

[boxermom]

This is just a guess, but I would say move her now instead of later. (not sure) Move her at night and in a place where she can be confined. I say this, because if she can't get back to the nest box, then she has nothing better to do than sit on her eggs. Like I said, this is just my guess. I had to move my broody, but I moved her before I gave her any eggs. I moved her into a brooder tank with a lid. Since she was used to setting in a square nest box, I put 2 golf balls in a cardboard "flat" in the brooder. She stayed all night, so then I put the eggs under her. I would think if she can't get out, she'll sit. On the other hand, before I let her set, I tried to break her broodiness by moving her off the nest. She would go eat, then find another nest. She wanted to set. Maybe yours does too.

 

[pnp4kidz]

Yep, mine wants to sit I think...
she is in our normal regular coop, and the ranch hand's wife had too many eggs so just decided not to gather two weeks ago... ugh...
so, when we did our gather on Sunday (his day off, her's too... ) we found a nest of eggs, well TWO... and one hissing hen!
I know from last fall that they are quite fertile and yes, develop...
(I know cause my sister found the same scenerio once, but gathered all the 'lovely eggs', and put them in my fridge... and yes... I cracked one to make a cake... and found a CHICK... half formed... YUKKKKKKOOOOO! )
so, she must do 'ok' sitting... argh..
my ranch hand told me this morning she doesn't 'sit enough'... but... let's just say, he is not the sharpest tool in the shed... and not sure he's really 'chicken savvy'... who knows.
but in any case... there is one nest with a half dozen eggs, and one box with a dozen... and they are slightly dirty so I know muddy little hen footsies have been in there moving them here and there... (raining a TON here)

so, what is a girl to do?
I know BETTER than to gather them to eat! LOL!

I'll move them.
Now... for a brooder... is this outside the normal chicken coop?
their coop is an inside area, with roosts up above the four nesting boxes, which sit up off the ground. There is a ramp leading up to the above...
there is an open doorway that leads to a 6 ft x 4 ft outside 'yard'... and that is it.
This summer I will be building them a tractor of sorts. We don't have much flat land, so it might not work... in that case I'll just extend their yard. Our dogs unfortunately love to chase, and chickens would quickly be snacks...

our Marans are in a separate coop with yard...

I have a cage, with roof... I could put her in there, but it's far from the normal coop, by the Marans, wouldn't she get scared over there?

Can I just make her a box and put it on the floor? near her food and water?
the other girls don't seem to bother with her... heck, there are prolly two of them sitting in there.
the roo is in there too... four hens, one roo. Can they just all live together or do I need a new chickie pen too?

 

[fordmommy]

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I moved mine in the beginning too. I learned that they don't like it much and may not sit right away if you move them later, potentionally it could effect the eggs later. Maybe they will get cold.

Things can go wrong. Best to do it now, if you're going to do it.

 

[boxermom]

pnp4kidz, I'm not sure how to answer that question. From what others have said on this thread, sometimes other hens will try to sit on the nest too and eggs get broken. You would be better if you can keep her seperate. My roos were and still are very interested in my broody. I'm not sure of their agenda, but I'm sure it can't be good.

Anyway, do you have a dog kennel or something? I used a stock tank with an old gate for a lid. DH set up a pulley system so I can lift the lid without any problems. I have food and water in there for her. My broody stayed in the barn with the other chickens, so I don't have to re-introduce her. If you just have a small coop, you might have to put her somewhere else. I don't think she'll be lonely. She just wants to be a mommy. Hope this info helps and isn't confusing.

 

[krstms]

2 days left for my broody! Cant wait to see what comes out of those eggs!!!

 

[emjay]

12 days to go.
should make a song,
on the 12th day of Hatching, my chicken gave to me......................

 

[fordmommy]

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[fordmommy]

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