Broody Issue

[chickeneer45]

So for my birthday I recently got a brinsea mini incubator. I was planning to fill up completely by putting seven eggs in it. As I was preparing the incubator, I decided to go check and see how many eggs I had in the laying area. One of my chickens was laying on the eggs, and would you believe it... she had gone broody. What are the chances... Well, I have already had one broody chicken and she successfully hatched five chicks. Luckily, that broody was at the top of the pecking order so she had no problem and did not have to be separated. Unluckily, this new broody chicken is second to the bottom in the pecking order and doesn't really defend herself. I found out today that somehow, my other hens having been rolling other eggs under her. Now, she is sitting on seven eggs and she is very small so I don't think she can sit on anymore. I have read in many threads that the best thing to do is to separate her from the flock so that she isn't disturbed during her broodiness. I don't really have anywhere to move her to except for a guinea pig cage that she can comfortably lay in, but is very small. It is in the run and not in any shelter. I was thinking of putting her in it for the duration and putting a bowl of water and a bowl of feed in there with her. The thing is that I am not sure about the guidelines for separation. Would this be cruel? I know that broodies normally only get up for food and water, so when I look at it that way it seems fine, but it is also a confined space and I worry for her health. My only other option is to somehow separate the chicken coop into two separate sections. I don't really know how I would do that, but if necessary I could figure something out. My coop is 4x3 so it is very small, so her area would be half of that. Any advice would be great, and if either of these ideas are appropriate please let me know because I hope to separate her somehow by tonight. Thanks!

 

[Johnn]

Why not put her in a cat crate in the shed and then let her out daily to eat and drink. She will only want to get off once a day.

 

[chickeneer45]

I dont understand. How do I let her out daily if shes in the shed? You mean move the crate once a day?

 

[Johnn]

I dont understand. How do I let her out daily if shes in the shed? You mean move the crate once a day?

Well can you not just open the carrier up then she can get out, go out the pop hole and into the run for food and water....

 

[chickeneer45]

Oh so you mean put the cage in the coop?

 

[Johnn]

Oh so you mean put the cage in the coop?

Yeah, so she will still be with her friends but will have her own place to nest. Then when you let her out she can eat, drink and go back then you can lock her back in...

 

[chickeneer45]

Do you think she will go out when I open the cage door?

 

[Johnn]

Probably, if not just remove her, it will do no harm.

 

[happybooker1]

I had a similar situation in that my broody was in the 'favorite' nest & all the other hens laid in the same nest. I'd just go in once a day & take out all the eggs I didn't want her to sit on. It was easy since she was sitting on blue eggs & my other hens lay brown or cream.

You could just put a mark on the eggs you want her to set on & remove the others each day.

 

[Johnn]

I had a similar situation in that my broody was in the 'favorite' nest & all the other hens laid in the same nest. I'd just go in once a day & take out all the eggs I didn't want her to sit on. It was easy since she was sitting on blue eggs & my other hens lay brown or cream.

You could just put a mark on the eggs you want her to set on & remove the others each day.

But there is the fact that other could kick her off and if they do, just because they are sitting on the eggs doesn't mean they are warming them.