Just out of curiosity...

[MotherOfChickens]

I have 1 hen who CONSTANTLY is going broody... I've no desire, at the moment, to let her hatch a clutch... but after watching her behavior I am curious about something and wondering what you all do in a situation like this...

I have 2 nest boxes. And she swaps the nests. One min she is sitting on eggs in one box, the next she is sitting on eggs in a different box. Like in the morning when I open the coop she is in one box and by evening she is in the other box.

So for those of you who have a broody hen, how do you keep her on the eggs she needs to be incubating? Do you separate her and those specific eggs?

T.I.A.

 

[Brahmachicken240]

I have wire on top of the entrances of the nesting boxes that I roll down to keep the broody hen in and other hens out.

 

[EggWalrus]

Give her a seperate nest with eggs in a brooder, one that she can't get back to the other nests.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I have wire on top of the entrances of the nesting boxes that I roll down to keep the broody hen in and other hens out.

I'd love to see a picture!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Give her a seperate nest with eggs in a brooder, one that she can't get back to the other nests.

So you pull your broody hen out of a nest box (with eggs) and place her in a separate area? Does that ever interfere with her desire to hatch a clutch?

 

[Col1948]

Get a dog crate and put her in there with food and water, no nest and add a roost bar, leave he in there for 3 days or so and then let her out, if she goes straight in the nest put her back in the crate.
I broke one like this not long ago but now I have another broody, in the crate she goes, seems a bit cruel but it should cure her.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Get a dog crate and put her in there with food and water, no nest and add a roost bar, leave he in there for 3 days or so and then let her out, if she goes straight in the nest put her back in the crate.
I broke one like this not long ago but now I have another broody, in the crate she goes, seems a bit cruel but it should cure her.

That is what I do to break her.... I was just curious as to what people who have a broody hen that wont stay in one nest box do to keep that hen on the eggs to be incubated.

 

[EggWalrus]

Do you have a dog carrier that you can put make a nest in, and put in the pen?

 

[Col1948]

Ah sorry I misunderstood, do you have eggs to be incubated in both nests is that what you mean?
If so how many eggs, can you not put both lots together or is there too many?

 

[EggWalrus]

So you pull your broody hen out of a nest box (with eggs) and place her in a separate area? Does that ever interfere with her desire to hatch a clutch?

I've had a few that try to get back to the old nests, but if you move her about sunset, they usually settle in on the eggs and are happy to stay in the new nest by morning.