He broody!!

[chicksurreal]

Would it be ok to just shut the Kennel? But not forever I would let her out once in a while.

I shut the door on my broody's nest at night, but leave it open during the day. It's hard to predict when she'll want to come out and do her thing- eating, drinking, pooping, dustbathing, etc... They have their own schedule, which is why we move ours to a separate pen. There's no way that I could know when she'll come out, she has some sort of internal guidance that tells her when to stay on the nest and when to come out.

It's really hard to deal with if you don't have a space for her to be alone. I tried leaving her in the main run, but all the other chickens wanted to lay eggs in her nesting box. Had to move her.

 

[marywatts]

I have a girl that just went broody 2-3 days now. She is in the favorite nesting box. I brought the dog kennel into the coop anticipating moving her in last night and three of my girls laid their eggs in there yesterday. Haven't moved her yet. Should I move the 4 eggs she has under her? Should I add more or just see how these 4 work out. Is it mandatory that I get her separated?This is the first time we have had a broody ( she is Australorp) and I thought she was sick when she wasn't moving and got all puffed up. The other girls seem to be leaving her alone. I have 9 girls and one giant Australorp Roo. The girls have been together since they were baby chicks. Thanks for help.

 

[ShellyBear]

Do you want chicks? If the Hens herass her then you should move her and she should stay as long as there's eggs under her and I would put more under her more of a chance of hatching cause they might not br fertile, but it's up to you. You have to put them under her at the same time or else they will hatch on different days and when the first hatch happens she will leave the still developing embreo and it will get cold and die.

 

[marywatts]

Yes we are ready for some chicks and I will add a few more today and then stop. She got up to run outside and grab a quick dust bath and the rest of the girls were jumping up there. I had to pull them out and put her back in but now she is sitting happy again. I am thinking tonight we will move her(and her eggs) to the kennel and close the door for the night. She is still pretty nice to me but makes those weird growling noises at my son and husband.

 

[ShellyBear]

I guess its just guys that chickens don't trust

 

[chicksurreal]

I have a girl that just went broody 2-3 days now. She is in the favorite nesting box. I brought the dog kennel into the coop anticipating moving her in last night and three of my girls laid their eggs in there yesterday. Haven't moved her yet. Should I move the 4 eggs she has under her? Should I add more or just see how these 4 work out. Is it mandatory that I get her separated?This is the first time we have had a broody ( she is Australorp) and I thought she was sick when she wasn't moving and got all puffed up. The other girls seem to be leaving her alone. I have 9 girls and one giant Australorp Roo. The girls have been together since they were baby chicks. Thanks for help.

This is why we moved our broody to a separate pen, first time for us too. She started out with 4 eggs and ended up with 11 (8 now because a snake ate 3), the other girls wouldn't stop laying where she was at and she would take their eggs and put them under her.

She seems much more content to be left alone and not be bothered with other girls coming in to lay their eggs.

 

[ShellyBear]

I'm glad she is doing well.

 

[chicksurreal]

I'm glad she is doing well.

Thanks! Me too. I'm trying really hard to just let her do her thing. She seems to know what to do, it's amazing to watch.

 

[ShellyBear]

It's bin 15 days and I can smell one rotten egg under my hen and it stinks.

 

[chicksurreal]

Can you tell which one it is?