Broody not broody...

[Jennrz]

I have a 3 year old Buff Orpington hen that goes broody like clockwork. I usually spend a bunch of time trying to get her out of the mood. This year I decided to give her some eggs to hatch. She’s been sitting in some fake eggs for 4 days. I moved her tonight to the brooder box with a nest and the new eggs and she is sleeping in the other end of the box away from the eggs.

Is there any way to encourage her back on the eggs? How long should I give her before stepping in?

So frustrated because I know she’s stubbornly broody when the mood hits. Any advice or help?

 

[lomine]

Try moving her back to where she was before. Some don’t like being moved.

 

[Jennrz]

The place she was in wasn’t really safe for hatching eggs. I could possibly try and construct a coop add on that would be closer to the spot she was in but that would be about it.

In the past I moved her to break her broodiness and it usually took a few tries. Frustrating that the time I want her to stay broody she doesn’t.

 

[chickens really]

Leave her a few days longer and then move her. The longer she is Broody the higher her hormones to set are.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Try building a "coop" around her?

 

[Jennrz]

She seems to be settling a bit. She tucked a few eggs under herself and is sitting on them and growling when you try to look. I will try to sneak a few more under her today and tomorrow. If she keeps them, great. If not I’ll have to figure out what to do with the extras.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I will try to sneak a few more under her today and tomorrow.

Bad idea... Set ALL eggs you want hatched at the same time. Otherwise a staggered hatch could mean death to those that hatch earlier or later.

I do all my tucking at night.

BTW, if you don't wanna deal with (more) roosters... I love adopting sexed feed store chicks to my broody hens.

Good luck!

 

[aart]

It can take them awhile to settle after being moved.
I give fake eggs until I'm sure the have settled into new nest,
then I give fresh fertile eggs all at once.
I too swap fakes for fertiles at night after dark.

 

[Jennrz]

Thanks all! I was kinda panicked at first but she’s settled nicely. If I hatch with a broody again I’ll follow @aart advice and get her settled on some fake eggs in the new location before giving her live eggs.

I ended up tucking the rest under her within a few hours of each other. I don’t think there is more than a 12 hour time difference from the first to last egg. Hopefully the hatch won’t get staggered too much.

Now we watch and wait. Make sure she’s got food and water and a place to go when she needs to go.