INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

OH - forgot to say that after the hatch (which may go on for several days) and she is satisfied that all the eggs that are going to hatch have, she will want to leave that nest and take them somewhere else.

They don't stay in their brooding nest after the hatch. Probably instinct to get out of there and find a safe place away from any rotting eggs, etc. left in the nest. Probably also a desire to find a place safe from predators.

 

[kabhyper1]

Is the brooder box in a safe area from predators if you leave it open?When I have a broody I try to let her make the decision on whether she comes and goes and when if there is a predator safe area for her. Momma will know how to take care of them.
OH - forgot to say that after the hatch (which may go on for several days) and she is satisfied that all the eggs that are going to hatch have, she will want to leave that nest and take them somewhere else.
They don't stay in their brooding nest after the hatch. Probably instinct to get out of there and find a safe place away from any rotting eggs, etc. left in the nest. Probably also a desire to find a place safe from predators.

Leah's Mom,
Hmm she is in the enclosed box because the barn is open for the alpacas. She has been fine in there. I take her out once a day to poop her broody mess, but she eats and drinks on her own. I don't know where else she could go, I didn't know they wanted to move after the hatch. I only have the barn and the large fowl coop and the silkie coop, which has a broody sitting on eggs in it also. The silkie went broody after the cochin, so I left her in the silkie coop because it is safe.
This is my large fowl area. Since I have removed her from the flock, they haven't been very nice to her. She got with them one day going poo and they picked on her.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Alright, my Easter-egger bantam, who has been living peacefully with my 8 1/2 year old mutt rooster for a while now, has decided to beat up on the practically geriatric old guy. I have nowhere else to put him, so he has to go. I know a few of you have expressed interest in him, so I thought I would post about him here first. He's a handsome little guy, though very human shy. He really just needs a flock of older ladies to put him in his place. If anyone's interested, PM me. I'm in northeast Indiana.

Here's his most recent picture. He looks largely the same, but has more black in his chest now.



This'll probably be removed for advertising even though everyone else posts their birds, but it was worth a shot.

Where are you located at?He is so pretty

 

[Leahs Mom]

Kathy - I just have an area in the coop divided off where I put their broody nest so that the others aren't in there laying eggs, etc. It's not huge, but it gives a private place to brood without being disturbed and it's in full site of the rest of the flock.

I had a nest box in there with her in it and after the hatch, she moved everyone out to the floor in the corner. My first broody hatch was last December and I didn't realize they moved out of the nest either. One of the "broody hatching experts" here on BYC answered a lot of my questions. When she moved out I kept wondering if I should put her back! He told me that is normal behavior and to be expected.

Here are a couple photos to show. She started out in the left corner of the area in this brooding box.



After the kiddos hatched, she never went back to the box again. She settled into a corner to the right of where the box was and made that her nest from then on so I removed the nest box. Here she is in the other corner:





She just hatched another clutch for me 5 weeks ago and did the exact same thing.

This area in my coop is divided off by a gate from the other part but if I didn't have that, I'd put up a dowel rod of some sort and staple the plastic, green poultry net to it. Then I'd use it like a "curtain" of netting to divide off a portion she could brood in. You can put blocks on it at the bottom and just move them and push it aside to get in to feed and water, etc.

Within 2.5 - 3 weeks she was out w/the rest of the flock. Believe me, she'll be very aggressive to protect her young. I am always there to watch the first few days when they're together as I don't yet have a separate run area they can go out in apart from the adult flock.

It's amazing how well a momma will integrate her own babies and protect them. It's what they do if they were out there on their own and they do it very well.

 

[kabhyper1]

Quote:
I think you were responding to me, In the pics you can see I don't really have the space to separate her from the flock. I am afraid to move her back in so close to hatch, plus since she has been gone for a few weeks they are very aggressive with her. I am nervous now for her, because the only place I have for her is the tractor/brooder she is in now. The top of it opens, so I could leave it open during the day and she could come and go witht the rest of the flock if she wanted, but they were so mean to her, that I have kept her closed in. Maybe after the hatch I could leave the top open during the day for her to come and go and then take the chicks to the big coop when she is ready. I am really confused now lol!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yes...sorry, when I read your name my mind filled in "kathy" instead!

As long as your tractor has enough space for her to get out of where her nest is currently and move to the other end or a different corner, it will be enough of a move for her.

And seriously, when she's ready to take those kids out, she'll establish who's in charge with the others really quick.




You might want to take a look at the broody hen thread here. At least last Fall there were lots of good folks on there who have experienced it that are very helpful. They may have some ideas for you if you need some.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/19340#post_12110802


ETA: From what I can make of your tractor that she's in, it looks like she has space to just move outside the place she is now with no trouble.

 

[kabhyper1]

Yes...sorry, when I read your name my mind filled in "kathy" instead!

As long as your tractor has enough space for her to get out of where her nest is currently and move to the other end or a different corner, it will be enough of a move for her.

And seriously, when she's ready to take those kids out, she'll establish who's in charge with the others really quick.




You might want to take a look at the broody hen thread here. At least last Fall there were lots of good folks on there who have experienced it that are very helpful. They may have some ideas for you if you need some.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/19340#post_12110802


ETA: From what I can make of your tractor that she's in, it looks like she has space to just move outside the place she is now with no trouble.

My first name is Kelly is that helps

Okay good, she is such a sweet heart, she lets me pick her right up every day to go outside to potty, and when she is done I carry her right back to her box. She eats and drinks and scratches a bit and climbs right back onto her eggs. She let's me know if she is unhappy with me with a squacking "hey!" lol , but she is definitely not a pecky broody. I will leave her in the tractor since she is comfortable in there. I will try leaving the lid up during the day after hatch for her to come and go if she wants to, but I doubt she will leave the chicks. How will I know she is ready to go back to the coop? Or will I have to put them all in at night and force her? She really likes her box lol. Btw, thanks so much for the link, I will read it and hopefully learn some things.

 

[kabhyper1]

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html This link is pretty informative. I am still nervous though lol.

 

[Leahs Mom]

She won't leave the chicks...if she goes out she'll take them with her.

It always makes me nervous when they go out because of hawks so I try to be sure I'm around when she takes them out - or provide some kind of temporary cover overhead when they're very young.

I "think" she'll take them to the hen house when she's ready to if she's able to be out and about. She'll likely take herself and them over there on her own at some point. It will be interesting to observe how all that works out.

I just started keeping the door between the 2 sides open all night when my current kiddos were 4 weeks old. Otherwise I was just shutting it at night because I'm gone at work in the morning when they wake up and I didn't want momma taking them out where the hawks are until I was home. When I'd get home I'd open the door and out they'd all go. In the evening after they came in and settled in their corner I'd just close the door between the 2 sides.

Last week I started leaving the door between the 2 sides open all the time.

I have a "dog kennel run" that has overhead netting so I've just let them go out in the morning into the run with the whole flock and don't open the run until I'm home. It's restricting the older birds a bit, but they will live through it for the short time it will be before the "littles" are bigger and more able to take cover on their own from overhead preds.


I will say it's a bit nerve-racking the first time or 2 mom goes where the flock is. It will initially remind you of "cock fights" as mom lets them know who's boss. But after a few skirmishes, things will settle down and they'll know not to mess with her or her kids.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Oh yah...I LOVE Harvey Ussery. My favorite chicken author.