Everybody says to isolate the hen...

[Terri O]

So I tried. I have two mixed banties that have gone broody. They were each sitting on 12 eggs for two days in the next boxes. Yesterday I set up separate pens with boxes, food and water etc. So it got dark and I went out and got the eggs and the hens and put them with their respective eggs in the cages. I leaned a feed bag across the front so it was dark in there. WHen I went out they were on the eggs. THis morning I went out as usual and both hens were off, the pen's bedding all scratched up and both nests were cold!
What could I do better next time? In the past I have just let hens sit in the nest boxes to hatch and let come what may...any ideas? Maybe it is just too early? Thanks! Terri O in WI

 

[debilorrah]

Are they young birds? I isolate mine so the other hens don't lay behind the broody - then you never know which eggs are at which point in incubation!!! But I always left her visible to the rest of the flock (see byc page - brooder is also jail for broodies) .

 

[Terri O]

Yeah the cages were just on the floor of the coop. They could see out from the front. I am going to try again. Not sure on the age--I just got them in November but they shoulod be at least 1 1/2 years. Terri O

 

[Bookworm chick]

I have the same situation, just one broody though. We fixed up a "coop within a coop" for her and just have to now wait until night to move her. Now, I'm starting to worry that she might abandon the eggs in this new "nest" since she's not going to be used to it. It's still fairly chilly here too. So, should we just put her in her box tonight (along with the eggs) and wait to see if she stays with the eggs and then just leave? Does the chance of her staying on the nest increase because it's dark? I guess what will be will be. The eggs are from my own flock so no expense lost there and it's only been 2 full days now. I should mention that she has stopped laying too.

I have marked her eggs, but at least one other hen goes in with her every day and lays an egg. She just doesn't seem aggressive enough to keep them out. So far I've just been collecting any extra eggs from the broody's nest. Also, her lack of aggression worries me that she might be a good defender of the chicks (if we get to that point).

 

[Terri O]

Mine was the same at 2 days...I took the extra eggs out too. Maybe our girls are sisters? LOL! Good luck tonight! Terri O

 

[andalusn]

I left the broody hen to sit on her eggs in the hen house and only moved her when the eggs hatched. Now she is in a pen with her chick. A very quiet Cochin she seems quite happy to be alone with her chick but the other hens cam come over and look. My hen house is just not set up to leave her inside with a little one hence the move. When it has decent size on it she can rejoin if she wants or stay in her pen. My second broody hen also hatched 3 peeps and she has her own pen but the little ones have a nack for getting out. Today I opened theh door and they have spent most of the day in the barnyard doing what chicks do, follow mom and test everything. When she got a little worried about something she herded them back home.

 

[Bookworm chick]

Quote:
Thanks, Terri O.
We went out after dark and moved her and her eggs to her new nest. I also put my hand over her eyes so she couldn't see the beam of the flashlight as we set her on her eggs. Kept her "in the dark" so to speak and it worked. She quietly settled on the eggs softly clucking to them. This morning when I went out to tend the chickens, she was still on them. So far so good. The rest of the flock were talking to her through the wire gate. Chickens are so entertaining. My husband said if they hatch, they'll probably be roosters anyway. Then he said "I expect we'll have to enlarge that run if you keep adding more". I asked him "Was there ever any doubt about that?"

 

[Terri O]

Great! I am glad it went well for you! I let mine out and she went back to her original nest. I will try again soon. Keep us posted about your girl! There is another thread Broody hens with babies. Join in! Terri O

 

[fordmommy]

Hey, Terri. That first girl I had, I didn't seperate her. She did great. Just the eggs weren't fertile. Everyone told me to seperate them too. I didn't feel that was right for her. All the other girls left her alone. But this other girl I have, I moved her because the others were laying their eggs on her. So now she's in the dog crate in the garage. But that girl would sit on rocks if I gave them to her.

 

[Terri O]

LOL! I need one like that Fordmommy! Terri O