Ex-Broody hen sleeping in nest box with chicks now

[Merci BeauCoop]

Good morning favorite people! We had a broody hen successfully hatch 3 chicks a month ago. She has been a great little mama and used to nest with her chicks in a corner of the coop after they hatched. She has recently decided that she really prefers to sleep and to give them nap time in one of the nesting boxes. I am not a fan. She has never taught them how to roost. We put the baby roost in the coop that she used when she was a baby, just after they hatched so it has always been available to them, but they have never used it. How do I get all 4 of them out of the nest and onto the roost? Thank you for your insight.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Block off the nests in the evening (and then unblock at night so they can lay in them the next morning). That should at least push her out of the box, and maybe she'll decide that the roost isn't such a bad place to be. If she roosts, the babies should follow.

 

[aart]

She's not an ex-broody until she weans the chicks and goes off to roost without them.

Do you have other birds?
Is there a good place for broody to easily roost with the chicks?
I put up a separate roost for new chicks, with broody or not.
Some folks put up a sider roost for broody and babes.

Also hacked up a hinged nest cover to keep chicks from sleeping in nests.
Close it an hour before roost time, then open up after dark when locking up.

At one point to put floor nest up on roost

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

She's not an ex-broody until she weans the chicks and goes off to roost without them.

Do you have other birds?
Is there a good place for broody to easily roost with the chicks?
I put up a separate roost for new chicks, with broody or not.
Some folks put up a sider roost for broody and babes.

Also hacked up a hinged nest cover to keep chicks from sleeping in nests.
Close it an hour before roost time, then open up after dark when locking up.

At one point to put floor nest up on roost
View attachment 2149982

Wow -it’s like you have a crystal ball or something. Last night she went on the roost by herself and the babies slept in the nest. I think I will give it another few days to a week and then block the nests as you and risemarythyme suggest. (They might need the comfort of “home” in the nest so they don’t feel abandoned by mama hen. ). Thank you for the great advice!