can you relocate broody hen to inside the house?

[siouxbee]

I've got a year old BLRW hen brooding 8 eggs (potentially laid up to 3 days apart -- oops).

She's in everyone's favorite nest box, so I've blocked it off with a piece of wood and a bungie cord, and she came out today to get a drink of water, so I know she can get out.

I'm worried about leaving her and more than 3 babies to defend in the regular coop and run. I'd also like to get her into a nest where I can offer her food and water, which is not as easy to do in the coop.

And yes, with kids age 4 and 8, I'd like to be able to peek in on the process of hatching and raising very young chicks. ;-) Will the mom let us have more of a relationship with the chicks if they're in the house?

How should I relocate her? At night?

Ok, to put her in a nest box in a brooder area in my laundry room? on a bed of pine shavings, with hay in the nest box?

Anything I should NOT do if I try this? Will I cause her to stop being broody?

 

[okiehen]

You need to move her this is the best thing to do.
Do it at night get the eggs first then put the hen on them in her new nest box. She should do just fine. She is going to be protective of her babies as all good hen mom's should be. You will get to look but no touch.
Make sure that when you get the eggs that she don't peck them in your hand.
Best of luck

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Unless you have a enclosed porch or a laundry room I wouldn't keep her in the house...the broody poo is something you will never forget when she does her business....

I'd try at night too...and have something enclosed for her to be in just incase she doesn't want to get back on the nest...usually they will fuss abit and then when they find they can't leave the box or cage they will go right back to setting on the eggs...

 

[siouxbee]

THanks! we do have an enclosed laundry room, and it already smells pretty gross with the humidity and heat of summer due to wet towels and bathing suits that I'm not washing because I'm on BYC ;-)

I can't wait to see a momma hen! I hope she makes it all the way through.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Just remember you were warned of Broody Hen poo!!....LOL

nothing compares or comes close to that....

Have fun watching her and the kids getting to see

 

[steffpeck]

Quote:
DITTO!!! I about passed out when I saw & smelt the first broody poo!!! YUCK!!!

It is really awesome to see the momma hen with her babies though!!

 

[siouxbee]

Yes, I've been reconsidering the move inside for her only because I'm wondering if we'll bother her with our loudness and running about. My kids are 4 and 7, so they're pretty rambunctious.

The rabbit hutch is about 3-4 feet off the ground, so how will I let them out for the day if she won't let me touch her babies? Wouldn't they fall on a ramp long enough to get down from something that high?

 

[keljonma]

Our broody hen, a Jersey Black Giant, is in our laundry/mud room. This is a room off our kitchen.

We brought her and the entire nest box (its our only portable nest box) into the house one night after she was on the nest for one week.

There is a sliding door and screen door in this room. When our hen wants outside, she walks up to the door and pushes on it. You can hear her scratching on the screen. So one of us lets her out.

So far, no broody poos in the house!!!

Can you put the hutch on the ground? I would think that as they start hatching, the little ones will start exploring on day 2 or 3. Mama may still be hatching eggs. You may find some severly damaged or chilled chicks if they fall from the hutch or ramp.

Maybe you could put mama hen in the house and put up some sort of cardboard box fencing to give her some area of her own. Tell your kids to leave it alone, and she should be fine.