Do you think this plan will work for my broody hen?

[tasymo]

I've got a two year old Rhode Island Red hen that I believe is broody. We call her our "Rogue" because she was adopted from a friend whose entire flock was taken by predators, except Hazel. He allowed them to free range at all times and did not lock them up at night. I have never been able to keep Hazel in our run. In fact, she has taught some of the other girls how to jump the fence, and led them to explore territory (like across the street) they had never shown interest in before. She always used to return to the coop every night, though she tried to roost on top of it a few times. About a week ago, she didn't return to the coop at bedtime, and I didn't see her for several days. I assumed her adventurous ways had caught up with her, but then this morning she showed up! When the other girls saw her and approached, she made a wierd noise, almost like a cat in heat. Her feathers were all puffed up and unkempt. I gave all the girls some yoghurt, which she dove into, then she disappeared again. I suspected that she had been laying her eggs in the hedgerow, since that's where she headed every morning, and my egg count was down. I had my boys chop it down, and sure enough, we found two spots with a bunch of broken egg shells. My theory is that she wanted a nest away from the other hens, but 'coons found it, scared her away, and ate her eggs. I don't have a rooster, so those eggs would never have hatched anyway. Now I need to figure out how to lure her to a safe place to be broody. I'd love to have her hatch a few eggs. I'm thinking, if I can get some fertile eggs and get her to sit on them, in the safety of our garden shed, this story might have a happy ending. Thank goodness whatever got her eggs didn't get her... So what do you folks think? Might my plan work? And how do I convince an extremely independent chicken, that the garden shed is a good place to hatch some chicks??

 

[fried green eggs]

If you can convince her by giving her a location and a box she likes it might work. My hens love to go broody in a covered kitty litter plastic box. I like it because I can pick it up with the hen inside and move it if I need to. Check out the resale places for cheap ones. I've picked up 4 that looked new for under $3.00 each. You will need to find a way to fence her in with food and water and keep coons out. Good Luck.

 

[tasymo]

Thanks! I'll start looking for a covered kitty litter box. I can keep her in my garden shed at night if I can convince her that my nest is better than her nest...

 

[fried green eggs]

Hope it goes well!

 

[Godiva]

I do hope your plan works! Those birds can be so opinionated about what is good and what isn't. Hopefully she decides the shed is perfect! Make a really nice spot with hay and food and water relatively nearby. Sometimes closing them in there at night for a few nights will help them feel more at home. Is there some kind of light in there (or windows)? Otherwise she may get 'lost' in the dark or find it a bit too dark in the day.

 

[tasymo]

Yes, my shed has windows, with screens, so it shouldn't get too hot for her. I did catch her sneaking back to the run for food and water. Now she is in a large cage, in my shed, with food, and a bushel basket with wood shavings and a couple of eggs. Problem- she STINKS! I can only guess it's from sitting on rotten eggs. I'm afraid to bathe her, because I want her to stay broody. Any suggestions?

 

[ll]

I bathed mine in cool water to try to snap her out of being broody - it didn't work at all.
Use warm/room temperature water and yours will probably be fine (and smell better yay!) good luck!

 

[tasymo]

My "head hen", Harriette visited Hazel today. My husband found her in the shed, beak to beak with Hazel, through the cage, having a nice conversation. Hazel had been very uptight and skittish around the other girls, and would growl and squeal if they got too close. I'm not sure if this means that Hazel is on the downside of her broodiness or what. She isn't showing any interest in the nest and eggs I provided for her, but still acts like she wants to get out and back to her hidden nest. I don't want to buy fertile eggs that she won't sit on, but want to have them on hand if and when she's ready... The nasty smell seems to be diminishing. I'm pretty sure it was from the eggs in her hidden nest.