broody mama is Pisssed

[roseyred]

found my cuckoo maran hen sitting on a couple eggs. she hasn't moved for 3 days strait so i pushed her off to see if she was serious and she fought my feet to get back to her eggs lol. so today i decided i should move her into the broody home inside asap and lifted the whole nest, eggs and hay and poop and all and put it in the broody home. then i had to get her in there. she poofed up soon freaking big lol and pecked me like crazy till i got her into the home. now she's ******. i covered the cage so she has some privacy but she's already pooped all over one egg and kicked it outa the nest. i took it and tossed it cause it was really gross. she's still protective of the eggs and making dinosaur sounds anytime i walk by but she's not sitting on them....its been 2 hours. is she gonna start sitting again? is there anything i can do to make her feel safer and more comfortable?

 

[bobbi-j]

I'd leave her alone at this point - quit walking by and don't bother her. She may settle again. For future reference, it's been my experience that they do better if you move them at night with as little commotion or light as possible.

 

[PD-Riverman]

found my cuckoo maran hen sitting on a couple eggs. she hasn't moved for 3 days strait so i pushed her off to see if she was serious and she fought my feet to get back to her eggs lol. so today i decided i should move her into the broody home inside asap and lifted the whole nest, eggs and hay and poop and all and put it in the broody home. then i had to get her in there. she poofed up soon freaking big lol and pecked me like crazy till i got her into the home. now she's ******. i covered the cage so she has some privacy but she's already pooped all over one egg and kicked it outa the nest. i took it and tossed it cause it was really gross. she's still protective of the eggs and making dinosaur sounds anytime i walk by but she's not sitting on them....its been 2 hours. is she gonna start sitting again? is there anything i can do to make her feel safer and more comfortable?

If you want her to set---put her back where she was----in her nest in the original location---Probably 90+% of the broody hens would not set on the eggs now the way you described moving her. If you want info on How to move her----just ask.

 

[roseyred]

I put her back lol she went a little hulk crazy....all the eggs are okay and she's back sitting on them in the original nest making dinosaur sounds [= i think ill just let her be and when they hatch ill give her a separate area from the flock..unless she'll protect them from the others? she is very defensive already

 

[PD-Riverman]

I put her back lol she went a little hulk crazy....all the eggs are okay and she's back sitting on them in the original nest making dinosaur sounds [= i think ill just let her be and when they hatch ill give her a separate area from the flock..unless she'll protect them from the others? she is very defensive already

OK, here is the deal----you said she was setting on a couple eggs---If she just started---I would get a dozen or so fertile eggs marked and remove the two under her and put the new ones under her. You will then need to check under her daily and remove any fresh layed/unmarked eggs so she does not have a staggered hatch. She can be moved, Or I will say this----I move every broody I set without a problem-----33 last season, 5 more so far this season.

 

[roseyred]

I will mark the ones under her...I don't want a huge hatch and I'll just take away the unmarked daily. I'm thinking I'll just set up an area for her still in the run but protected from the others closer to hatch day....

 

[donrae]

I leave broody hens in the flock and things go well. Momma is hormonal enough no one is going to mess with those babies!

 

[roseyred]

Every day I check on her I get more worried lol. She's consitent and I give her a little shove off the nest each night before dark so she'll eat and drink and then she runs right back to her warm nest. The coop is about 2 feet off the ground and my chickens jump right up into it but when she has chicks how do I keep them from dropping off the ledge? Also they have a wire floor infront of the nest boxes and there little feets will fall theoguh! Should I move her closer to hatch date? Or once there hatched? Will def do it at night if I do move them.. I know she will defend them but i worry lol. Should I just leave her to be and maybe put up a ramp?