I have a broody button!! (I think)

[shelleyd2008]

I have one red breasted hen that will not come out of their house for anything! When she does come out, either my male blueface is in there, or a cinnamon blueface hen. I still have these birds all together, I'm not sure which one is her mate, though I highly suspect it is the blueface.

I have a couple of empty plastic totes, since I don't have as many chicks as usual in the house, would that work to put her and the male in? Or should I just leave them be where they are for now? I know if she hatches I'll have to move her and the babies, the bars on the cage are only 1/2" spaced, the baby buttons would squeeze right out of that!

I haven't seperated them yet, as I was planning on making a cage similar to one I saw on here, out of a bookcase type thing. I think that is a great idea for button cages! But I don't have the funds atm to make one.

So, questions are:
1) should I move the one hen that is almost certainly broody?
2) Do you think the blueface male is her 'mate', since he is on the nest most times that she is not?


I don't know what to do! I'm sure that if she is broody the other hens (2) are laying in the nest. They have a grass hidey hut that they love to lay in!

All you broody button owners, tell me what to do!! She doesn't come off the nest when I open the cage, the hidey hut is made out of 'grass', and is built for mice or hamsters. So it is pretty enclosed, and I guess she feels safe. And the only time she is not on the nest, another bird is. I'm pretty sure she is broody!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Where are all the broody button people??

 

[CalicoFarm]

I am not an expert, but I would leave her alone until she does hatch out the babies. I would be afraid if I moved her she would abandon the nest. I've only had buttons a short time but seems to me that everytime I move mine, different cage or just location, it throws everything off.

 

[gabrielle1976]

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

I have a broody girl now - but I have about 2-3 other hens that are helping her set the eggs whenever " momma" is off the nest there is always another girl ready to jump in and help I have all my buttons living together in a large tote males and females all colors

I was really hopeing this girl would not stay broody since I am building a new houseing unit to seperate the colors into smaller groups

I am letting her stay on the nest until I get the pens done and as soon as I move everyone I am sure she will leave her eggs but I have the bator all warmed up and will slip those eggs in so they never get cold LOL

good luck with your broody girl

 

[JJMR794]

LEAVE HER WHERE SHE'S AT, WATCH FOR ANY UGLY SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, IF NECESSARY MOVE THE OFFENDING PROBLEM CHILD OUT OF HER SPACE. OTHERWISE START STUFFIN' EGGS UNDER HER BUTT AND CHANT GO BABY GO!

 

[Emzyyy]

I didn't move my broody hen I just put chicken wire around where she was at and put a food and water dish in there with her

 

[kingmt]

GO GIRL! GO GIRL! GO GIRL!......................

Actually that might scare her off the nest.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Today it seems like the cinnamon blueface is on the nest more than the redbreast, but everytime I look, at least one of them is on there! If not, then the blueface male goes in....I would hope that with 3 parents, the eggs would have a chance!

We'll see.....

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

I have a broody female button quail.. Her mate goes into the nest when she is out. Most of the time. And they both sit in the nest at night time. I make a nest out of the large margarine tubs. I put the lid on it, then place the lid side down. And cut a hole in it about an inch above the bottom of it.. That way all I have to do is place another butter tub over it when I am cleaning the cage. That way she doesnt get scared away.. I remove the male completely while cleaning, but after I cover the female in her house.

This is her second time being broody.. No babies the first time. She abondoned it to soon..

This time she seemed to leave the nest to often lately.. I thought maybe the eggs were dead.. I snuck my hand in there and the eggs were totally cold. So I took a couple out to check them.. I know some here would hate me for it. But I cracked a few open.. Two nothing. Then one had a baby starting to get stubble peach fuzz.. Aww.. I killed one. But at least I know she actually cooked them enough. And it was still living when opened. So I am holding out hope for the remaining eggs.. If they dont hatch by the end of the month. Then I know they never will.

I hear that a broody button actually hatching out babies is rather rare.. But I have heard of it being done. It would be neat to have at least one broody button..