Is she broody?

[aart]

I took the egg and put her in the run and she freaked out confused ut then started drinking water. Is it normal for them not to act the same when broosy?

Not unusual.
They will run around poop eat drink then back to nest all with about 15 minutes.

 

[Annalyse]

Ye

Yeah, when broody hens want to hatch and protect their eggs. So she will freak if it is moved. Is she out and about now? Have you picked up all the eggs? Make sure to do this regularly.

Yes she was out and about but still making noises and I collected all the eggs. She ran back a couple times but I kept picking her up and taking her out. Right now since I had to put them back in she is in the box again.

 

[aart]

Right now since I had to put them back in she is in the box again.

Time for a breaker crate.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

 

[Annalyse]

Time for a breaker crate.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.
View attachment 2461104

Will she get stressed in the crate? Does the crate have to be off the ground? I have a crate similar to that size. What if I block the nesting boxes so she cant go in a box?

 

[aart]

Will she get stressed in the crate?
Does the crate have to be off the ground?
I have a crate similar to that size.
What if I block the nesting boxes so she cant go in a box?

She might at first, but she'll settle down.
Wire bottom and off the ground are pretty key in cooling off her belly.
Blocking nests can work if you don't have other birds that are laying,
BUT...she may still hunker down somewhere to brood.

 

[Annalyse]

She might at first, but she'll settle down.
Wire bottom and off the ground are pretty key in cooling off her belly.
Blocking nests can work if you don't have other birds that are laying,
BUT...she may still hunker down somewhere to brood.

I will try the cage, I just hate to see her locked up but ill be fine. I put her up on the roost for tonight. And ill put cardboard on the bottom of the cage for her feet. Will she get bored in the cage? Should I put a roost in the cage or no?

 

[Annalyse]

What if she lays an egg in the cage? she didn't lay any eggs today so idk

 

[rosemarythyme]

What if she lays an egg in the cage? she didn't lay any eggs today so idk

If she's broody she likely won't lay. I have had almost-but-not-quite broodies caged up and they did lay a final egg on the first day of caging (on the floor) and I just picked up the egg from there.

I've never put in a roost in my broody breaker but you can if you want. They'll just sleep on the floor otherwise.

 

[aart]

And ill put cardboard on the bottom of the cage for her feet.

No, the idea is for the bottom of crate to have air flow.

 

[Annalyse]

No, the idea is for the bottom of crate to have air flow.

my crate already has a floor I just checked. Would that be okay?