Choosing a Broody?

[3KillerBs]

Good luck!!!

I don't know if she's fully-broken or if I'll find her back in the box, but after 2 full days of frantic pacing and pecking at the wire I figured I may as well try one of the others.

Mocha has been a determined sitter so she deserves the next chance. And if she doesn't work out, Teriyaki just started sitting on Friday.

 

[junior67]

I don't know if she's fully-broken or if I'll find her back in the box, but after 2 full days of frantic pacing and pecking at the wire I figured I may as well try one of the others.

Mocha has been a determined sitter so she deserves the next chance. And if she doesn't work out, Teriyaki just started sitting on Friday.

you will have to let me know if she is fully broken...... I have a brooder in my coop (well it is down now but easy to set up again) and have thought of using it try to break my broody's or at least maybe give them a spot they will get up and eat more often at least. But would be nice to find out if it works to break them. If yours goes back to sitting I will have to go with plan 2 next time I have a broody. haahaa.

 

[sdm111]

Keep the one that doesn't move when physically moving her and the nest. If neither move keep the more aggressive one.

 

[SpicyDisaster]

We've had two different broodies hatch/adopt. Both were vocal and puffy about egg inspection yet never really bit anytime. They'd peck on the hand like "excuse me no thank you kindly bugger off". Both have been fierce protective mommas with the other hens yet begrudgingly accepting of the humans interacting with the chicks.

First one was 8 months old and we never moved her until after hatch. Second one was 14 months and I moved her at 4 weeks sitting (she refused to break despite all efforts so I broke down and got her chicks) and she sat for another week until chicks arrived.

I set up a mini dog house in the grow out pen that's within the run. Attempting to move her during the day resulted in her pacing and trying to get out so I let her go back to the nest and moved her again that night in the twilight hours. She stayed put after that.

Not the best photo of the setup, this was right after installing the little dog house and I don't seem to have another photo on my phone. All the girls checked it out and three laid eggs in it so I figure it was suitable and passed inspection

The one piece of advice I've really stuck with is to only let top hens brood and raise. Chicks are treated as an extension of the mother's place in the pecking order until they are older so it affords them some natural protection. First broody was top hen and she didn't let anyone mess with her or her chick. This latest was about 4th rung and she scares away everyone except the top 3. She tried to yesterday but got reminded gently of her place. So I feel pretty good about not letting lower momma's brood if they will be integrated young. Poor Silver is our most frequent broody and she's the lowest on the order. She gets bullied out of her nest though, I'd be afraid of what happens with chicks.

Good luck with your broodies!

 

[3KillerBs]

you will have to let me know if she is fully broken...... I have a brooder in my coop (well it is down now but easy to set up again) and have thought of using it try to break my broody's or at least maybe give them a spot they will get up and eat more often at least. But would be nice to find out if it works to break them. If yours goes back to sitting I will have to go with plan 2 next time I have a broody. haahaa.

I have a broody breaker that is a dog crate up on a pallet for good airflow. It works very well.

First one was 8 months old and we never moved her until after hatch.

I can't let them sit in the main nests. There's no keeping 20 other hens out of them and they keep ending up in a different box after they take a break.

Also, my nests are 3 feet off the ground because I installed them with my bad back in mind. No stooping for eggs.

 

[junior67]

I have a broody breaker that is a dog crate up on a pallet for good airflow. It works very well.



I can't let them sit in the main nests. There's no keeping 20 other hens out of them and they keep ending up in a different box after they take a break.

Also, my nests are 3 feet off the ground because I installed them with my bad back in mind. No stooping for eggs.

if I have to I will buy another dog crate but right now my dog is using my huge one that I used to brood my chicks in last year (got the puppy after they were done with it. LOL) and my smaller one that my dog used when we first got him I let my mom use so I don't have an extra one to use as a broody breaker and hate to buy another one if I don't need to. so was hoping I could find something else that worked that I didnt have to buy one.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Personally I always like having more than 1 brooding, preferably at the sane start date. That way if one is broken, I can usually shove the eggs under the other.

I personally don't move them until babies start pipping, and then move them back to the flock after the babies are about 2-3 weeks


The quiet ones seem to set best and usually raise their babies okay, but for my free range groups, I prefer the ones that bite since their chicks usually don't disappear as often

 

[SpicyDisaster]

I can't let them sit in the main nests. There's no keeping 20 other hens out of them and they keep ending up in a different box after they take a break.

Also, my nests are 3 feet off the ground because I installed them with my bad back in mind. No stooping for eggs.

Any chance you could hardware cloth her in and let her out for regular broody breaks? We did that at the end but only had 13 hens to contend with. The latest one wound up regularly on a different nest so I totally understand that wouldn't work for actual incubation of eggs

 

[3KillerBs]

Any chance you could hardware cloth her in and let her out for regular broody breaks? We did that at the end but only had 13 hens to contend with. The latest one wound up regularly on a different nest so I totally understand that wouldn't work for actual incubation of eggs

No, I couldn't under the current circumstances because of the hours I work. 3 days a week I wouldn't be able to attend her to give her the breaks.

If I weren't working it would be a good idea.

 

[SpicyDisaster]

No, I couldn't under the current circumstances because of the hours I work. 3 days a week I wouldn't be able to attend her to give her the breaks.

If I weren't working it would be a good idea.

Drat! Hopefully it works out for you and the hens. Any luck moving at night maybe?