Does a broody hen still need access to the outdoors?

[Kraemer7]

Hi! I have my first broody hen. We’d like her to try and hatch some eggs. I set up a dog crate “maternity ward” and plan to move her there tonight and put eggs under her (she’s currently in the box on wooden eggs). She’ll have her own food and water and nest area. Will she still want to have access to outdoors? I have a nice quiet spot for her but it’s still accessible to the other chickens. Or I can move her to a different room so she will be alone, but won’t be able to go outside. Which is a better spot?

 

[MysteryChicken]

She should be allowed to have access to get up, scratch, poop, & dust bathe during her breaks.

Do you have fertile eggs for her to sit on?

 

[Kraemer7]

She should be allowed to have access to get up, scratch, poop, & dust bathe during her breaks.

Do you have fertile eggs for her to sit on?

Ok, great. Yes, we have 1 rooster for our 11 hens so I’m hoping a few of the 10 eggs I put in there will be fertile. Is the crate better off on the side of the coop or in a separate room in the barn (but still accessible to the outdoors)? I think it’s possible either space that if she gets up another hen will be curious about her special space.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Ok, great. Yes, we have 1 rooster for our 11 hens so I’m hoping a few of the 10 eggs I put in there will be fertile. Is the crate better off on the side of the coop or in a separate room in the barn (but still accessible to the outdoors)? I think it’s possible either space that if she gets up another hen will be curious about her special space.

Keep her with the flock. Just make sure the other hens can't bug her. The crate can work, just let her out a couple times a day.

 

[Perris]

Ok, great. Yes, we have 1 rooster for our 11 hens so I’m hoping a few of the 10 eggs I put in there will be fertile. Is the crate better off on the side of the coop or in a separate room in the barn (but still accessible to the outdoors)? I think it’s possible either space that if she gets up another hen will be curious about her special space.

Other hens do get curious and can be a PITA, especially if they cause the broody to go back to another (the wrong) nest because they're occupying it when she gets back from her break. If you can spare the time, and her breaks are short (they usually are), standing guard to prevent other hens intruding while she's off prevents mishaps.

 

[IVRN]

Hi! This is my first time too. She does need and want access to to run. She needs to be able to stretch her feathers and get a good dust bath in. Also their broody poop is horrendous and best to let her relieve herself outside and not in the nest. Also other hens will still go in and lay eggs in the box she is in (never mind there are only currently six of them and there are four other boxes!) That’s natural. She pushes those eggs right under her and I come take them out. So be sure to mark your eggs! Because new ones will show up under her! But yes, It’s okay for the other hens to have access. My legbar especially INSISTS ON laying her eggs in the box mama is in. A couple eggs broke early on but she’s settled down and that’s normal.

 

[IVRN]

Also: I set up a maternity ward and tried to move her but she runs right back to the box she started brooding in (on wooden eggs). So when I bought her the hatching eggs I left her there even tho it’s not ideal for babies. It was suggested by breeders that I wait until they hatch then move her to the maternity ward since she’s so determined to brood in the nest she close for herself. But remembered in nature they just sit under a bush. So let her have access and let her choose or she may abandon her eggs

 

[coach723]

People manage broodies in different ways, so there are different ways to make it work. Some leave them with the flock 100%. For me, since I have several roosters, I move a broody as soon as she starts to sit, as soon as I'm sure she's committed. I have a nursery run that is parallel to my main run. My broody gets a large dog crate that is open all the time so she has access to the nursery run when ever she wants during daylight hours, but does not have to deal with intruders. Everybody can see everybody all the time, but no one can bother her. Her crate is actually in the closed run off the coop, with it's own door that can be secured at dusk, so she is safe from predators. This is my preferred method so my broodies don't get stressed and so the newly hatched are safe until they are old enough to get out of the way of the big birds. If you move a broody you have to make sure she can't get back to her original nest, or she will try to go back. That's why I do it early on, if she's been sitting more than a few days, I would not try to move her.

 

[Kraemer7]

That’s a great setup. Unfortunately i only have one way to access the outdoors from our barn right now. I could put her in a quiet side room, but others could still come find her, and she’d feel pretty alone at night. I’m gonna try and move her to the crate tonight in the coop and see what happens.

 

[Kraemer7]

Also: I set up a maternity ward and tried to move her but she runs right back to the box she started brooding in (on wooden eggs). So when I bought her the hatching eggs I left her there even tho it’s not ideal for babies. It was suggested by breeders that I wait until they hatch then move her to the maternity ward since she’s so determined to brood in the nest she close for herself. But remembered in nature they just sit under a bush. So let her have access and let her choose or she may abandon her eggs

Great advice, thanks!