HOW?? Broody silkie and raising chicks within the flock? UPDATE

[JLS]

Here's the first problem:

My silkie went broody (YAY!!) She's comitted, I believe, because she has finally stopped laying, leaves the nest to defecate, puffed up, and growles. So I wanted to move her to a large broody box in the basement. But she wont settle down. She acts very nervous and wont sit on the eggs. So I tried setting up a brooding area in the coop. She wont settle down there either! Finally I put the eggs back in her favorite box and she's as happy as can be.

Second problem: The flock is rather aggressive.

Third problem: The nest box is up 18" off the ground.

How can I let her raise chicks in those conditions?? How can I get her to be content in a safer area? PLEASE HELP!!

 

[tinychicky]

it would definetly be best to move her to another place. a cardboard box works just fine, actually, as long as she has an inclosed nest within that box. move her when it is dark out so she won't try to get back to her old nest. good luck!

 

[JLS]

Quote:
Okay, that makes sense. Maybe I could put her (after dark) back into my basement?

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Enclose her favorite broody box within her favorite space (the coop?) so as the chicks begin to hatch, the other hens will become accustomed to them and accept them. They'll always live lower on the pecking order, but they'll be part of the flock and accepted.

I used chicken wire and 2x2's to make a lift up screen which blocked off our broody girl and her chicks until they were all big enough to come out, about 1-2 weeks old. By then, the other chickens were done being curious about them. Also, we have the rooster daddy, who is protective of the babies too. Any other hen too close to a chick got shooed away by him as well as the broody mom. He's a pretty broody boy, tends to take care of everybody.

Maybe my coop is good that way. Our roost is over a poop shelf, and the favorite broody box (nest box) was in the row of nest boxes under the poop shelf. It was very simple to move some of the nest boxes over to enclose the broody one by constructing a hinged screen attached to the edge of the poop shelf (actually its a countertop). That gave her a 2ftx6ft space to raise the babies in, and food/water was easy in there, too, in baby feeders. Here's a pic of the roost shelf, with some red nest boxes underneath, the chicks all grown up on the roosts with the older chickens:

I think this is only ONE way to do it, but it worked here. I hope whatever you try works well! Good luck.

 

[JLS]

UPDATE:

It worked!!

I brought in my Silkie last night under the cover of darkess

She has remained on the nest in the Broody Box. Thank you for all of the advice. I will keep everyone posted when I have chicks. I cant wait!!