first time owner, with first time broody

[rockafella]

hiya,
i'm lucky enough to live in a city were i can have chickens. NEW ORLEANS
i have six chickens, a couple are roosters!
i've gone through building a wonderful coop for them, and finally my one and only bantam hen started laying eggs, now she's gone broody,
i've been researching online but would help me more if i get answers from others.
do i have to have an incubator, she can take care of her own eggs! the whole natural thingy. there's only two eggs. will she be laying more while being broody n if so, it would be smart to mark.... right! should i be building a little brood box place, so the other hens dont get jealous, would they kill the chicks. i guess i should be reading more, and will continue. i guess if anyone has any hints, please let me know. i'd like to make it easier on the new mommy to be. whats this about turning, the mother hen does that right?
wow..... ok i'm going to go read some more, n hope someone out there has some information that'll help me.
i just learn better that way!
merci

 

[Southernbelle]

I started a page on broodies, that might help.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7479-broody-hens

Once they go broody, they won't lay eggs again until the chicks are 4-12 weeks old. However, the other hens might lay in the nest, so mark the eggs. I use a Sharpie - every thing else (crayon, pencil, pen, etc) rubs off under the hen.

If she's a good broody, she'll take care of the eggs, you won't need to incubate them unless she gives up for some reason.

If the other hens aren't bothering her, you can leave her where she is, although the safest thing would be to move her to her own space, if you can do it without disturbing her broodiness.

 

[rockafella]

cool thank you so much, and i can move her without moving her. she's in a turned over barrel. none of the hens have started laying yet, one's molting at the moment ( rhode island red) the other not sure what her story is yet. i'll build a little place for her. thanks for the info much appreciated.
i'd have to say that the main rooster, COL. PANTS ( a silky) is pretty protective of her, he doesnt let the other hens beat her up, there's been a pecking order thing going on the last week. i guess the mother to be is number one with the main standing rooster, n our rhode island red isnt very happy about it.
i'll check out your page,
very helpful. cheers dear

 

[rockafella]

cool, just read your page. very informative.
i will be moving her, unfortunately it's a barrel to move, and it's large, so cant put her in the house, and will be building a little place for her. i'm moving her, cause of the fighting i've seen in the last week before the broodiness, between her and the Rhode island red. i'll just be safer and better for her over all. thanks again.

 

[karimw]

Quote:
Southernbelle, I wish I'd seen your page when my hens started to go broody! Fortunately I guessed about what to do correctly. My Cochin hen started to sit her eggs in a basket outside the coop and in order to keep her on the nest I had to move the basket into the coop at night and back out during the day or she'd leave it and go sit in the original spot. Such a good mama though!