Broody Sapphire Gem

[ShelbyCiave]

My Sapphire Gem has been broody for about two weeks. I force her out of the coop and lock it for the day after my other hen lays. I just got 4 chicks that are a week and a half old. Would it be a bad idea to put her with the chicks to make her think she hatched them?

 

[nuthatched]

I don't think she'd accept them at that age, have you tried the dog cage method?

 

[ShelbyCiave]

I don't think she'd accept them at that age, have you tried the dog cage method?

I figured they were too old. I showed the chicks to her and she was very calm and right after she bolted to the coop to sit in her box again. I was hopeful she would accept them. I have not tried the crate yet. I was going to try that today.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The chicks might be too old to accept her, or she may not accept them because she hasn't been allowed to set properly. Or she could take them, you never know.

 

[Mrs. K]

You might try this. It might work.

• take your chicks outside in the cool of the evening. They need get chilled. And pretty chilled, peeping madly. It won't kill them, but they will want to be under the hen in that nice warm spot
• wait for solid dark, your whole coop needs to be comatose. Take the peeping chicks down there, wait a few minutes
• wearing a thick sweatshirt, stick the chicks underneath her, one at a time.
• If one crawls out, stick him under there again.
• Cross your fingers and wait outside the coop

The hen should begin to cluck differently, almost a steady beat. The chicks should get silent and go to sleep.

They are a little old to try this, if they were 3-5 days, I would be sure it would work. But if you get the chicks cold enough, that a warm spot feels good, it is your best bet. It won't kill the chicks.

Mrs K

 

[ShelbyCiave]

You might try this. It might work.

• take your chicks outside in the cool of the evening. They need get chilled. And pretty chilled, peeping madly. It won't kill them, but they will want to be under the hen in that nice warm spot
• wait for solid dark, your whole coop needs to be comatose. Take the peeping chicks down there, wait a few minutes
• wearing a thick sweatshirt, stick the chicks underneath her, one at a time.
• If one crawls out, stick him under there again.
• Cross your fingers and wait outside the coop

The hen should begin to cluck differently, almost a steady beat. The chicks should get silent and go to sleep.

They are a little old to try this, if they were 3-5 days, I would be sure it would work. But if you get the chicks cold enough, that a warm spot feels good, it is your best bet. It won't kill the chicks.

Mrs K

After two weeks of extreme determination of being broody, my gem is back to normal. At first I just locked her out of the barn/coop. As soon as night came, she would run straight back to the nesting box growling and puffing her feathers. I showed the chicks to her and she was calm, but instantly ran into the box to brood. Finally, after reading many different pieces of advice, I locked her out of the barn all day long. Before locking in for the night, I emptied her nesting box and added a lot of ice packs into the box. Viola! Today she has been happily free ranging all day without any urge to go into the barn. Fingers crossed this behavior remains for now!