Cage cleaning with a brooding hen...?

[Quailbert Quailington]

I keep my Button Quail in one of those giant sterilite containers, which I've modified. Usually my buttons have no interest in sitting on their own eggs, but recently, my sweet little Hen Wen (yes I named my quail after the pig from the Black Cauldron) has been sitting on six eggs. Welp, the pine shavings are more than due for a change. HOW do I safely clean the cage with her brooding?

 

[blackoaktammy]

Love the name! You're lucky to get a hen that will sit on her eggs. Most buttons refuse, or give up the nest half way through.

Can you clean the half of the cage her nest isn't in?

 

[Nabiki]

I keep my Button Quail in one of those giant sterilite containers, which I've modified. Usually my buttons have no interest in sitting on their own eggs, but recently, my sweet little Hen Wen (yes I named my quail after the pig from the Black Cauldron) has been sitting on six eggs. Welp, the pine shavings are more than due for a change. HOW do I safely clean the cage with her brooding?

The Prydain Cycle is still one of my favourite series. I loved Henwen, the prophetic pig. I will never forgive Disney for their complete butchering of the Black Cauldron.

 

[Quailbert Quailington]

Love the name! You're lucky to get a hen that will sit on her eggs. Most buttons refuse, or give up the nest half way through.

Can you clean the half of the cage her nest isn't in?

I could, but I'm not sure how I'd do it without scaring the dickens out of her.

 

[Quailbert Quailington]

The Prydain Cycle is still one of my favourite series. I loved Henwen, the prophetic pig. I will never forgive Disney for their complete butchering of the Black Cauldron.

You know, I have NEVER read the series! But guess who's going to look for it now??

 

[Nabiki]

You know, I have NEVER read the series! But guess who's going to look for it now??

The author is Lloyd Alexander. The Black Cauldron is book two. The series is based on Welsh mythology.

 

[ValerieJ]

I could, but I'm not sure how I'd do it without scaring the dickens out of her.

I have cleaned around a broody with no trouble. She was ok as long as I didn’t try to move her.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Could you just pile some on top until she’s done?

 

[Quailbert Quailington]

Could you just pile some on top until she’s done?

I don't think it'll last another 10 days or more. I've noticed with these quail, incubation can be up to 24 days!

I think I'm going to try cleaning around her, and see how that goes! She's in a brooding box, so she may not be too disturbed!

 

[DK newbie]

I'd say it depends on the hen and on how bad it is. And how badly you want chicks. I don't clean within 3-4 feet of my button hens when they are broody, but most of them live in relatively large enclosures that don't get too dirty from a couple of extra weeks without cleaning. If you have a very calm hen and/or don't really care whether you get chicks or not, I guess you could try cleaning some of the cage. But if I were in your situation with a really dirty, not too large enclosure, I think I'd follow Henry's suggestion - I'd wait for the hen to leave the nest herself (it tends to break the broodiness sometimes if the hen gets chased from the nest by your presence), then throw a pile of new bedding in the opposite end of the cage and leave it to the birds to distribute it in the cage.