Lock down for a broody hen?

[Basil G]

I potty trained my broody so she won't poop in the box were she is incubating her eggs. So once a day I take her outside and she does her broody business outside. Now with and artificial incubator the last 3 days you close it until cheeps start to hatch. Should I leave the broody on her eggs for the last 3 days with no going outside because then she'll dump on the eggs. She's only off the eggs for a few minutes. lock down would be this Wednesday.

 

[bobbi-j]

If you can, make it so she can get up off the eggs and go to the bathroom by herself. Broodies instinctively know what to do when and can take care of themselves. (How do you think chickens managed to procreate for thousands of years without human intervention?) If you can't let her take care of herself, I would guess you're going to have to keep taking her off the nest. I've never had to "potty train" a broody. Mine have never pooped in the nest.

 

[Basil G]

This one does, last clutch I don't think she ever left the nest because there was a lot of poop in it and last clutch I had her in a large dog crate.this time I have her in a large cardboard box(vacuum box)

 

[bobbi-j]

Was the door to the crate open so she could come and go as needed?

 

[Basil G]

I had to put her in the mud room because the rescue hen wanted to eat the eggs (and she did eat 2 of them).
It was a large crate so one end had her nest and the other end had some food and water. I can't use the crate because my problem rooster is currently living there. So I found this large cardboard box and its about the same size as the crate, just not as tall. It was working until day three she went back to pooping on the eggs (first three days she didn't poop) So I take her outside for 5 minutes and she poops outside and not on the eggs now. I'm not sure if lock down is for broodies too because the chicks will hatch in poop (again) and no one enjoys broody poop.

 

[bobbi-j]

If she can't get out on her own to go to the bathroom, that's most likely why she was pooping in the nest. Keep taking her out once a day so she doesn't have to do that. Once the eggs start pipping, I'd leave her on the nest. Maybe in the future, you can section off a place in your coop for her so she can get off the nest as needed to to her business on her own. If your coop is too small to do that, give her the coop and find separate temporary housing for the problem birds.

 

[Basil G]

Ok thanks.
I guess when I finish putting together this green house I'll keep her in there next clutch

 

[bobbi-j]

I think that will help the situation a lot. If she is left to come and go as she pleases and still messes in the nest, I wouldn't use her as a broody again. But I really think the issue will be resolved.

 

[Basil G]

Hopefully I get more silkies from this clutch for more broodies to swap her out

 

[Lori J]

I potty trained my broody so she won't poop in the box were she is incubating her eggs. So once a day I take her outside and she does her broody business outside. Now with and artificial incubator the last 3 days you close it until cheeps start to hatch. Should I leave the broody on her eggs for the last 3 days with no going outside because then she'll dump on the eggs. She's only off the eggs for a few minutes. lock down would be this Wednesday.
[/QUOTE broody

Hopefully I get more silkies from this clutch for more broodies to swap her out

I potty trained my broody so she won't poop in the box were she is incubating her eggs. So once a day I take her outside and she does her broody business outside. Now with and artificial incubator the last 3 days you close it until cheeps start to hatch. Should I leave the broody on her eggs for the last 3 days with no going outside because then she'll dump on the eggs. She's only off the eggs for a few minutes. lock down would be this Wednesday.

Broody hens go outside and poop once a day instinctually when they were laying on their eggs. I know mine always have. You don’t have to train them, don’t worry. She got this! Good luck.