Broody in the beatbox...need her out.

[rssnbabybear]

I have two chickens that are trying to go broody on me. I want them to raise chicks if they will, but they are in the nest boxes in the coop. I have a separate small coop that I want to move them to. What I want to know is. Is it possible to move them without breaking the brood and what is the best way? My best boxes are 5 gallon buckets that can easily come out of the wall. Can I move them in the buckets to the new coop and then try to take them out of the buckets? Is there a better way that you would suggest?
P.s. The title should say 'nest box' but it won't let me correct it.

 

[rssnbabybear]

Is this the right forum for this question?

 

[donrae]

First, is there a reason they can't brood in the coop? That's where my birds raise their babies.

moving a broody is always an iffy thing. Some move just fine, some break completely. Some get off the nest for a day or so, then adjust and go back. You just won't know until you try it.

If you need to move them, here's how I'd do it.....

Don't give her the eggs you want her to hatch yet. Use golf balls or sacrifice eggs, whatever.

I'd wait until the hen had been committed for a good three days. To me, that means on the nest day and night.

The next night, I'd move her at night to the desired location. If you can leave her in the bucket, so much the better. Just fine another bucket to replace the one you moved from the main coop.

Watch how she does at the new location. I've had hens wake up and throw an ever-lovin' fit about being moved, lots of squawking and flapping and carrying on, like they were abandoned on a desert island or something. That's why you don't give her the eggs you want her to hatch yet, she may be off the nest a day or so, or may accidentally break eggs just by being so upset. Try to keep thinks as quiet as possible around her. If/when she settles back down and stays on that nest during the night, you can go ahead and set the eggs you want her to hatch.


But, not to sound like a broken record...if you have the space, it's just so, so much easier to leave them in the coop. Babies are born right into the flock, no drama about introducing young birds, momma takes care of all that.

 

[rssnbabybear]

I wish I felt like I could leave her, but my other hens are throwing a fit about the boxes being used. They keep raising Cain and one actually drove her off the eggs for a little while. One egg got broken in the shuffle. I need a safer place for her to be.

 

[JaeG]

Move her in the dark and just a cardboard box in your laundry or garage would be sufficient with food and water close by or offer it to her once a day. If she has eggs to sit on she should be a happy broody. Good luck.