Choosing a Broody?

[NatJ]

And another failure to graft to the new nest.

I *thought* I created the maternity ward in accordance with the recommendations of various articles and threads here, but my hens don't seem to agree with me.

You could try taking a cardboard box, turning it on its side, and putting it in the corner of the maternity ward. That will feel more like a nestbox.

I've had some hens that could be moved, some that could not be moved, and some that were picky about how I moved them.

I finally decided on something a bit like you're doing-- if a hen goes broody, move her to the maternity ward, wait a few days, and either she stays or she breaks. If she stays, then I can give her eggs.

I've also had success with using an incubator for the eggs, while the broody stays in the flock nest on fake eggs (for the hens that cannot be moved while broody.) When the chicks hatch in the incubator, I put one or two under the broody at night, and take away the fake eggs. The next morning I can move broody + chicks and she will then stay at the new place. That night, with the broody in the right place, I give her the rest of the chicks. So far, that has worked every time I tried it, although I expect I will find an exception some day.

 

[3KillerBs]

You could try taking a cardboard box, turning it on its side, and putting it in the corner of the maternity ward. That will feel more like a nestbox.

I've had some hens that could be moved, some that could not be moved, and some that were picky about how I moved them.

I finally decided on something a bit like you're doing-- if a hen goes broody, move her to the maternity ward, wait a few days, and either she stays or she breaks. If she stays, then I can give her eggs.

I've also had success with using an incubator for the eggs, while the broody stays in the flock nest on fake eggs (for the hens that cannot be moved while broody.) When the chicks hatch in the incubator, I put one or two under the broody at night, and take away the fake eggs. The next morning I can move broody + chicks and she will then stay at the new place. That night, with the broody in the right place, I give her the rest of the chicks. So far, that has worked every time I tried it, although I expect I will find an exception some day.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm thinking of moving it over to the other side of the coop closer to the nestboxes and seeing if they'll like it better over there.