Broody pullet? What should I do?

[bobbieschicks]

I put on my gloves and went to the coop and took her off the nest. She was not happy with me. I put her down at the waterer and watched her as she finally ate some food and drank some water. The rooster came and tried to jump on her back and sqwauked at her. A couple of the other pullets came and the lead pullet tried to peck at her. I shooed everyone away and let her eat and drink. She stood up and pooped - and WOOHOO! That was one big stinky poop! Then she ran out into the yard - scratched for a second or so and then rushed back into the secured run. Tentatively she walked back up the steps into the coop and I watched her hop back into the nest and hunker back down.

I'll check to see if she stays on her nest tonight when we get back home from errands. I set up the little broody coop for her - any ideas on this? Should I move her there tomorrow or wait until the chick is hatched? I don't want to separate her from the flock if I don't have to.

Edited: at 7pm she was outside in the nestbox still hunkered down.

Here's the little coop inside the secure run.

 

[gryeyes]

Ahhh, that Broody Poop! Those of us who have had broody hens know exactly what you experienced! She is officially broody, now. I would suggest you let her sit on more than a single egg....

I have that coop too (in my collection of various grow-out coops) - you are right, there isn't much privacy for her if the whole flock uses it. And if so, I'd move her and her egg(s) to another location, even a covered cat litter box with bedding of your choice in it . (Some folks use hay, some folks use pine shavings, others use shredded newspaper, and even pine duff and dry leaves. I prefer pine shavings.)

But that would be a GREAT coop for her to have all to herself as she broods. Can you put feed and water inside it for her?

When her babies hatch, you might put up a temporary barrier - like garden stakes and plastic poultry fencing- to make a little yard for her around that coop so she can raise her chicks without the rest of the flock messing with them for a week or so?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Yes, that is just the broody coop. The big blue coop is the whole flock coop. I also have a storage area inside the blue coop I could put her in, its the area i use as a brooder for young chicks. But I may need that area since Sunday is hatch day for my other EEs eggs, I can't tell thru the blue shells what is happening so if nothing hatches, I could use that area.

Yes, I can put food and water inside, but I thought I was supposed to make her get up off the nest to get those things each day. What kinds of things should I use for feeding her with this weird winter weather so it doesn't freeze?

Am I supposed to move her entire nest or just her clutch of eggs to the new location? Do I lock her inside the little coop for a period of time to get her to accept the change of nest location?

I guess I will spend some time tomorrow figuring out what's next. Thanks for your help!

 

[bobbieschicks]

I moved her and her clutch. It has three of her eggs and two white leghorn eggs. I took the nesting straw and eggs and put them in the nest box of the little coop and stuck her in there. She hunkered back down. But it is wet in there. So I think that coop leaks! I will have to move her again. I have to get the watered ready too. I already have a feeding bowl. Should I feed her layer pellets or grower feed?

I'm going to go clean out the storage side and just put her in there to brood those eggs and possibly some shipped ones if I win hem at auction. She may not like another move, but I'll move her tonight after dark. I had to free up the nest box as too many pullets were eyeballing her in there.

I will need to weather proof that little coop before I use it or wait until spring when I plan to cover the secured run with permanent roofing.

 

[StarLover21]

Definitally offically broody. Don't worry- she should be fine. She will get up to eat and drink. However, make sure wherever she is is nice and predator proof- she may die defending her chicks once they hatch. What kind of roo do you have?

 

[bobbieschicks]

The flock leader and her rooster is a 29 week old White Leghorn named Foghorn. He is a great rooster. We also have a Lavender Orpington 16 weeks old that just started crowing and a suspected Silkie rooster who is 16 weeks old as well and doesn't say crow. I know it's just a matter of time before we'll have to cull or rehome those other two - but for now we play the wait and see game. The LO isn't nearly as good at being a rooster as Foghorn was at that age -and the Silkie is just too pretty to eat. LOL! He's a Partridge Silkie and beautiful.

 

[StarLover21]

So it sounds like Foghorns probably the dad. Does Smokey lay blue eggs? If so, I'm pretty sure blue is dominant over white- that way you'd get more blue egg layers!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Her eggs are blue/green - but still with the blue shell. They are a beautiful color. Yes, Foghorn is the daddy of the flock. If those eggs are fertile - it would have been from his activity as the other two roosters wouldn't dare mate Smokey with Foghorn around. That would be way cool to get more blue egg layers! Bandit laid beautiful green/blue eggs before she died. I love that color.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Smokey has moved her nest again! I pulled the straw out because she had moved her nest out of the straw onto the pine shavings. So I figured she didn't feel secluded enough in just the straw. I found an old plastic box and put that in there with straw & moved her clutch in while she was down eating/drinking/pooping. She settled into it just fine when she returned to the nest. Then I noticed yesterday that she's moved the eggs again - off the straw and onto the pine shavings. I guess she keeps warmer with the pine shavings. So this time I will leave well enough alone and let the little momma hatch her eggs unaided by me. She seems to be doing a fine job. I'll probably candle them on Thursday evening - just to see if anything is growing and to satisfy my curiosity. Although I've read that she will kick out any that aren't growing - it's cool to see them in the shell. She's due to hatch on 2/21 - if I calculated that right!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Curiosity got the better of me and I candled her eggs this morning. Difficult to see thru due to daylight but none were clear.

Made the mistake of letting her out into the run with everyone else. Her best buddy AC came over and grabbed the back of her neck. I quickly grabbed Smokey and put her back with her eggs. She settled back down once inside the coop. That was pretty scarey.