How do you handle a broody? (not about breaking a broody)

[lomine]

One of my hens went broody on Friday. She is my second broody ever. I don't mind her sitting so I'm not looking on ways to break her broodiness (I think raising chicks would actually be good for her). I marked the eggs she was on that evening and let her be. She is a very timid hen and is easily chased from the nest box when another wants to lay an egg. Unfortunately, this seemed to make her pick another box. Several times when I checked in on her over the weekend she was in a different box. The eggs she was on originally were cold. She seems to have settled on one box now but she ruined quite a few eggs in the processes.

The last broody would let another hen lay but then went right back to her clutch. I left her in the nest box until right before her eggs were due to hatch. Then I moved her to a new spot and put up a divider. She didn't take that well but eventually settled. She didn't manage to hatch any eggs but was a great mama for some shipped chicks from Meyer.

So this got me thinking. How do you all handle broody hens? Do you put in a secluded area or leave them in the nest box? Do you give them a couple days to settle then give fresh eggs?

 

[AlleysChicks]

3 full days. Day and night in the same box before I give eggs. Also if you can move her to a spot of her own within the coop that’d be great. Somewhere where the other can’t kick her out. Or she will still change nests on you.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I've heard people test broodies by letting them sit for a week. If they don't leave or show signs of leaving frequently in a way that would ruin the fertilized eggs, don't let them raise the eggs. For that broody, I'd make a special sectioned off area with food, water, and a safe environment to incubate.

 

[lomine]

I may leave her for a week and see what she does. Right now she is sitting on the original marked eggs again. I know someone else laid eggs and she got back on because I found two unmarked ones this morning (which I took). It she does stick to it I might move her.

I have some eggs in the incubator now that I set 5 days earlier. I was thinking I might let her sit on those eggs and then give her a few chicks after hatch. I know my fertility percentage is low so I doubt she'll be able to hatch any eggs anyway.

 

[JaeG]

I've always separated my broodies if they are going to hatch eggs as if they are low on the pecking order there's a possibility that more dominant hens will kill their chicks. Also there's a risk of eggs getting broken or cracked if she is being chased from the nest for the others to lay. It's instinctive that chickens will lay where other chickens are laying so wherever you move her to within the coop you may still have the same problem if the other hens can still access her nest.

 

[AlleysChicks]

Let her sit on fake eggs until the eggs in the incubator are ready. Then trade them out.