Is my Rhode Island Red Broody

[chickenmama109]

so around 3 or 4 to day I went to go get eggs ther was about 2 or 3 days of eggs I forgot to collect them There was one hen on a pile of eggs so I could not get them around 7 at night I went to close the coop door and the hen is STILL there it’s a Rhode Island Red is she broody theis is my first flock I have never had a broody can some one tell me what to do it is pretty cold in the morning already will that be a problem for the chicks will the flock not like the new chicks thanks to all help

 

[Maeschak]

Yes, she sounds broody! Most chicks born in a flock will be safe both in terms of temperature and flock mates. The momma, if she is a good momma, will take care of everything. If she is not a good momma though, you will have to brood the chicks yourself. If you aren't prepared to brood chicks yourself in the winter you might want to break her of her broodiness.

 

[Redhead Rae]

If you go to touch her does she growl and fluff up? If so she is broody, I would try to isolate her if you can. Some hens may lay new eggs next to the ones she is already sitting on. If this happens, she might gather too many eggs for her to effectively hatch (some of them will get too cold because they get pushed out to the sides) and when/if they do hatch, she will leave the nest within a day or two leaving any half incubated eggs to die. Isolating her can be simple. If you have a large nest box (about 1'x2'), you may only have to close the entrance and put food and water in with her. If the nest box is high, and small, you may want to move her to different broody quarters after dark. My setup for broody hens is a 5'x 5' PVC run with chicken wire on the side and a tarp covered lid and a large tote with a door put in it. To put in a door, cut a hole in the short end of the tote (make sure the tote is flat on that side or it won't work as well). Make two wooden frames that have and interior dimension that is slightly smaller than the cut opening. Sandwich the tote wall between the two frames and screw the frames together. Make a door with a hinge and a latch put tread bars on the inside of the door. Drill some air holes in the side and you are good to go. This setup works well for broody hens and mamas with babies as well. I put this setup inside my electric poultry paddock so the hen stays with her flock and the babies are introduced into the hierarchy.

 

[staceyj]

If you go to touch her does she growl and fluff up? If so she is broody, I would try to isolate her if you can. Some hens may lay new eggs next to the ones she is already sitting on. If this happens, she might gather too many eggs for her to effectively hatch (some of them will get too cold because they get pushed out to the sides) and when/if they do hatch, she will leave the nest within a day or two leaving any half incubated eggs to die. Isolating her can be simple. If you have a large nest box (about 1'x2'), you may only have to close the entrance and put food and water in with her. If the nest box is high, and small, you may want to move her to different broody quarters after dark. My setup for broody hens is a 5'x 5' PVC run with chicken wire on the side and a tarp covered lid and a large tote with a door put in it. To put in a door, cut a hole in the short end of the tote (make sure the tote is flat on that side or it won't work as well). Make two wooden frames that have and interior dimension that is slightly smaller than the cut opening. Sandwich the tote wall between the two frames and screw the frames together. Make a door with a hinge and a latch put tread bars on the inside of the door. Drill some air holes in the side and you are good to go. This setup works well for broody hens and mamas with babies as well. I put this setup inside my electric poultry paddock so the hen stays with her flock and the babies are introduced into the hierarchy.
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Nice!

 

[chickenmama109]

Yes she will growl but she will not peck at me do I move her some where eals I don want the other hens to go and lay an egg in that laying box but I don’t know if I should put her in a border in my garage how will the other hens fill about the know chicks and when should I take them out of the garage thanks to all

 

[chickenmama109]

If you go to touch her does she growl and fluff up? If so she is broody, I would try to isolate her if you can. Some hens may lay new eggs next to the ones she is already sitting on. If this happens, she might gather too many eggs for her to effectively hatch (some of them will get too cold because they get pushed out to the sides) and when/if they do hatch, she will leave the nest within a day or two leaving any half incubated eggs to die. Isolating her can be simple. If you have a large nest box (about 1'x2'), you may only have to close the entrance and put food and water in with her. If the nest box is high, and small, you may want to move her to different broody quarters after dark. My setup for broody hens is a 5'x 5' PVC run with chicken wire on the side and a tarp covered lid and a large tote with a door put in it. To put in a door, cut a hole in the short end of the tote (make sure the tote is flat on that side or it won't work as well). Make two wooden frames that have and interior dimension that is slightly smaller than the cut opening. Sandwich the tote wall between the two frames and screw the frames together. Make a door with a hinge and a latch put tread bars on the inside of the door. Drill some air holes in the side and you are good to go. This setup works well for broody hens and mamas with babies as well. I put this setup inside my electric poultry paddock so the hen stays with her flock and the babies are introduced into the hierarchy.
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And thanks for that that is a really good idea

 

[Maeschak]

If for some reason you cannot keep other hens from laying eggs in the broody' box you can try marking the ones she is sitting on. That way if additional eggs show up you can see they are new and remove them.

 

[chickenmama109]

Thanks every one but I went out there to check on her and she was gone with a pile of feathers on the ground is there a chance that she might come back

 

[chickenmama109]

This is the 2 hen that has gone missing

 

[bobbieschicks]

Maybe she was molting instead of broody? How old is she? Did she get taken by a predator or just leave the nest?