How do you keep the rest of the flock from laying with the broody one?

[NanaClucker]

I have had trouble with the rest of the flock laying with my broody hen. I have tried to move and isolate one, but they just go out of the mood. At one time I had one hen with 36 eggs under her. No, she wasn't that big, but she was giving it a big try. I ended up taking all of them and putting them in the incubator to hatch them. Bantams are the only ones I have got chicks out of and I had to remove them from the adults because they kept walking on them and killing them.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have also had the issue of a broody hen "breaking" when she gets moved to a "logical" place to do her broody thing. I often switch up the location of the "fake eggs", and the flock follows those fake eggs. So, if I want the birds to start using a floor level nest box, that's where I put the fake eggs. When the broody settles there b/c that's where the eggs are, I HOPE to be able to block that area off, give her real eggs, and move the fake eggs to the upper boxes. I have a broody who's settled in a lower nest (x 2 days now) so hope to execute the rest of the plan within the next day or two. I'll let you know if the plan succeeded.

 

[azygous]

Protecting a broody while she's incubating her eggs and later, protecting the chicks after they're newly hatched is a practical problem best addressed as a long term solution.

Several years ago, I built a second coop. I cut three doors into it, two leading out to the main run and the third one opening out into smaller run. I also divided this coop down the middle because at the time I had two roosters in residence that wanted to kill each other.

Those roosters are now gone, so the side of the coop opening into the smaller run is now the broody coop and run. I built a roomy nest on the floor for the broody, and when my broody was ramping up her hormones, I began "suggesting" she use the nest by taking her out of the regular nest she was planning on laying her egg in and placing her in the broody nest in the special broody coop.

It didn't take long and she was happy to lay eggs there, and when she went broody all the way, she was ready to plant herself there for the duration.

In the past I've also moved the eggs from a main nest and placed her on the eggs and locked her in. She would complain for a bit, but the lure of a nest full of eggs, assisted by her crazy broody hormones, eventually overcame her stubbornness and she remained.

So, I recommend you look at this beyond this immediate broody. How would you ideally like to be able to manage your broody hens and chicks? Just do it!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy Welcome!

Thanks for joining us here at Backyard Chickens.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think the most important thing is to keep the hens from getting to the broody's nest box. Put up wire or partitions to keep them away from the broody. Better to inconvenience them than make her abandon her nest.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hello and welcome to BYC. You have some great advice above.

These links may be of interest.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/4...ody-hen-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread


http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread


http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks

 

[PouleChick]

Great advice!

So, I recommend you look at this beyond this immediate broody. How would you ideally like to be able to manage your broody hens and chicks? Just do it!

This is what I did and I have a dedicated little maternity hospital hutch - I didn't plan for multiple broodies though so we just had to build a 2nd and my 3rd is nesting in the back of an old TV (her choice - it is where she has always laid!) so I'm going to add a proper floor etc and hope that it will be good for her until the end! I did try to move her to the coop (every night for 3 or 4 days) and it wasn't happening so I am working with her! I think separating and keeping mama and eggs safe is the most important - I lost 2 of broody 2's eggs when broody 1 and her chicks got into her nest when she was off for food - I was gutted - totally my fault and totally avoidable if I'd kept them separated.

It is so exciting - I have 4 x 3 week olds and 7 due today and 12 eggs about to go under the third broody! Good luck and let us know how you get on!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have also had the issue of a broody hen "breaking" when she gets moved to a "logical" place to do her broody thing....

You need a place where your setting hen has a floor level nest and where the entire nest, hen, eggs, and all can be moved at night soon AFTER the hen begins to set. That way your setting hen who has imprinted on the nest recognizes her nest and she will return to it when the entire nest is moved.

It is imperative that she is separated from the rest of the flock to prevent other hens from bedeviling her or adding to her clutch.

 

[aart]

I too separate broody from the flock, 4x6 area behind a wire fence with a portable floor nest. Once she shows broody I put her in there with fake eggs in the nest. If they are serious the will settle in with a couple hours to a half day, after a full day or two then I give her fresh fertile eggs. I take the wire wall down within a few days to a week so mama and the chicks can reintegrate back into the flock.

If you choose not to separate her, you need to mark all the fresh fertile eggs and remove any eggs added by other hens daily.