How to keep other hen’s out of broody’s nest?

[lavendermarie]

Recently my sebright brahma bantam cross went broody. She’s pretty small as you could imagine, and she went broody in a nesting box. It was the least popular nesting box, but of course now that she’s in it everyone wants it. They keep trying to squeeze their way into the nesting box with her to lay their eggs or they’ll peck her/pull the feathers on the top of her head until she’s forced off. And since she’s so tiny, they usually get their way. I’ve stood out there for over an hour yesterday and 30 minutes today monitoring them and taking them out of her box when they go in, but i’ll go insane if I have to do that every day in the heat, lol. I was wondering if there’s any way I can stop them from going in her box? Would putting fake eggs in the other boxes help at all? Any advice is appreciated even if trying it would be a long shot, thank you!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Put the broody in a different coop. If it's too late to move her, put a small cage with some food and water in front of her nesting box so it blocks anyone from going in, and protects her. Then as soon as the chicks all hatch and are ready to get out of the nest, remove broody and chicks and put in separate coop.

 

[Banana01]

Fake eggs help, but there is not a way because sometimes chickens want to lay on top of another nest to sneak their own eggs in to another brood.

I have had sucess moving hens that are broody along with their eggs into a higher nesting box, but that is not easy because they will return to the old nest box several times and require being moved a few times before they stay put.

If you want to keep track of the hens eggs, you will have to mark them somehow with a marker and check the nest every day. Its not an easy solution, they lay eggs on other broodies it is nature.

 

[Yardmom]

Most of the time a broody can be moved, but they cannot have access to the original nest. I use a large dog crate or cage. I keep it in the coop to make the transition back to the flock easier. I take my broodies out of their cages at least once a day. If they return back to their old nest I pick them up and lock them back in their cage. The other way is don't fret about the others laying, but Mark the eggs to be hatched so others can be removed daily.

 

[lavendermarie]

Put the broody in a different coop. If it's too late to move her, put a small cage with some food and water in front of her nesting box so it blocks anyone from going in, and protects her. Then as soon as the chicks all hatch and are ready to get out of the nest, remove broody and chicks and put in separate coop.

I didn’t think about putting a cage in front of the box, thank you! Thank you for all of the advice.

 

[lavendermarie]

Fake eggs help, but there is not a way because sometimes chickens want to lay on top of another nest to sneak their own eggs in to another brood.

I have had sucess moving hens that are broody along with their eggs into a higher nesting box, but that is not easy because they will return to the old nest box several times and require being moved a few times before they stay put.

If you want to keep track of the hens eggs, you will have to mark them somehow with a marker and check the nest every day. Its not an easy solution, they lay eggs on other broodies it is nature.

I’ll try this, and i’ve marked them I just hate disturbing her, but I guess it’s just what I’ve got to do at this point. Thank you so much!

 

[lavendermarie]

Most of the time a broody can be moved, but they cannot have access to the original nest. I use a large dog crate or cage. I keep it in the coop to make the transition back to the flock easier. I take my broodies out of their cages at least once a day. If they return back to their old nest I pick them up and lock them back in their cage. The other way is don't fret about the others laying, but Mark the eggs to be hatched so others can be removed daily.

Thank you for all of this! I’ll try this method!

 

[Banana01]

Most of the time a broody can be moved, but they cannot have access to the original nest. I use a large dog crate or cage. I keep it in the coop to make the transition back to the flock easier. I take my broodies out of their cages at least once a day. If they return back to their old nest I pick them up and lock them back in their cage. The other way is don't fret about the others laying, but Mark the eggs to be hatched so others can be removed daily.

Yea broodys can be moved. You just have to be careful the first couple days because she will maybe need to be put back on the new nest a couple of times.

She will want to stay with the eggs, but she will be confused at first about where the nest is, and also want to return to the old nest.

It is very common for a broody to return and sit on the old nest even if there are no eggs. She will leave her eggs and go sit on the old empty nest if you do not keep moving her back to the eggs. Eventually she will get the message and stay after a couple tries.

 

[lavendermarie]

Yea broodys can be moved. You just have to be careful the first couple days because she will maybe need to be put back on the new nest a couple of times.

She will want to stay with the eggs, but she will be confused at first about where the nest is, and also want to return to the old nest.

It is very common for a broody to return and sit on the old nest even if there are no eggs. She will leave her eggs and go sit on the old empty nest if you do not keep moving her back to the eggs. Eventually she will get the message and stay after a couple tries.

Okay great! Thank you!

 

[DebAnneDigi]

Recently my sebright brahma bantam cross went broody. She’s pretty small as you could imagine, and she went broody in a nesting box. It was the least popular nesting box, but of course now that she’s in it everyone wants it. They keep trying to squeeze their way into the nesting box with her to lay their eggs or they’ll peck her/pull the feathers on the top of her head until she’s forced off. And since she’s so tiny, they usually get their way. I’ve stood out there for over an hour yesterday and 30 minutes today monitoring them and taking them out of her box when they go in, but i’ll go insane if I have to do that every day in the heat, lol. I was wondering if there’s any way I can stop them from going in her box? Would putting fake eggs in the other boxes help at all? Any advice is appreciated even if trying it would be a long shot, thank you!

I just had the same problem! Yesterday no eggs from the other 4 hens… I did put a ceramic egg in each of the other boxes… they did lay their eggs and no arguing