Broody Mamma Update

[KickingChicken]

I think the dog crate was too big and open compared to the nesting box she originally chose. As soon as she went back to her original spot she has been happy as can be. So I just decided to section off that nest and about two additional feet outside of it (which is actually half of the coop). I feel bad for my other 3 chickens sharing the other half of my rather small coop! But she deserves it, she has a long road ahead of her. I will have to decide who to keep after the little ones arrive. I am not sure but I think max my coop will hold 5 or 6. They are hardly ever in the run, mostly out foraging the 1 acre backyard. The coop is mostly used for sleeping and the roost spans the whole middle of the coop. The four usually sleep all bundled up on one half of that.

I put food and water in there for her, but it doesnt look like she has left the nest at all. During the day I put a few eggs near the nest, and sure enough, she pulled them in. Just now I pulled the unfertilized eggs and put 6 fertilized under her. I am excited! Will keep this thread updated on her progress if anyone is interested!

 

[galanie]

My Orpington broodies want to get off the nest and go outside for a while every day or every other day. It doesn't mean they aren't broody any more, they just need to get up and stretch, eat, preen, etc. Rather than wait for them to decide when to go crazy wanting out, I now pick the broody up every day and set her by the food and water. They will start eating or drinking while still laying down and then sort of "wake up," then go running outside for their "break time." They will go back to the nest they lay on and I pick them up and put them back on "their" broody nest that is sectioned off.

I put food and water in the sectioned off area the first time but I don't any more. They seem to want to get OUT for all that and won't touch the stuff I put in there for them.

 

[KickingChicken]

Galanie-
Thanks for adding your thoughts. I think your advice applies to my situation. She has not left her nest yet at all. I am wondering how I can apply your method. I had to put up chicken wire that is difficult to put up and down. So I would definitely need to wait for her to go up the ramp back to the other nest? Because this is her first time being broody, I am not sure how much I can mess with her. However, she must be pretty stuck in it as- I have chased her around the yard trying to catch her, threw her in a dog kennel on a night with tornado winds- and she is still broody.

I left two eggs out to put in the incubator, I thought it would be fun for my niece to follow the process. I don't know if that was a good idea, as I would really like mamma to raise all of the chicks. Which usually hatches first, moms eggs or incubators eggs.

 

[KickingChicken]

Broody hen on hopefully hatch day!

Well things have been going well, I hope. My first time broody hen has made it to day 21. The only hiccup along the way is that the eggs rolled out of the nest b/c I didn't have an ridge between the nest box and the door. She couldn't gather them all up so she was only sitting on two of the six. I candled after that, but have never seen movement the whole way. Tonight will be 21 full days, and I don't see any movement. Then she pooped on the eggs so I couldnt really see to candle them. She only did that once, not sure why? After the eggs rolled out, I thought it would be fun to put an outdoor security camera that I had laying around on mama. Its been really fun seeing her rotate the eggs and move the straw around just the way she likes it. I wish I could get the domain name to work, then everyone could see her hatch her eggs! below is a still shot of the camera.

I also put two eggs in the incubator so that I could candle them. Throughout the entire process, i have not seen the embryo move that much. However, they are growing -there was barley any space left in the egg when I went on lock down. Day 21 for the incubator is tomorrow.