Managing the boordy hen

[yyz0yyz0]

Ok, so I have a hen that started to brood last friday.

I've been collecting eggs on the counter since Friday and I have more that enough to give her a clutch to sit on. She's currently sitting on a couple fake eggs and golf balls.

Now to my confusion!

I don't know the best way to handle this as it's my first time trying to work with a broody hen. I have a large Dog Crate I planned on using for a brooder with a broody hen when I got one.

So, do I move her to the brooder cage after dark with the fake eggs and swap out the fake for real after a day or two to make sure the move did not upset her?
Do I give her real eggs in the nest box(with the eggs marked of course) and let her sit on them for several days before moving to the crate?
Do I just leave her in the nest box the whole time?

If/when I move her to the crate, should i keep it in my garage or keep it in the chicken run? If it's kept in the run should it be locked up with separate food/water or should I just put the crate in the run with the door open?

So many options so little time, guess I should have given this more thought and asked these questions sooner.

thanks in advance.

P.S. is 10 eggs an ok amount for a GLW hen to sit on?

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Bump!!

 

[HenHoneyGirl]

I haven't had much experience with hatching eggs under a broody hen but IMO I would move her to the crate and make she's not fussy or upset with the move for a day or two with the fake eggs then put the actually eggs under her. I would keep the kennel out in the coop, leave it closed though so other hens can disturb her, and give her the option to venture out and forage a bit outside the kennel 2-3 times a day. I'd keep water and food inside the kennel though if she needs a drink or eat when you're not there to let her out.

 

[Broody Queen]

I usually do it all in the same day and in broad daylight (however i wouldnt advise that, im just an impatient person) to be honest i have never had a problem.
Get the dog crate ready (put the eggs in and food and water) and move her after dark, leave her at the entrance and she will most likely go to the eggs on her own, if she doesnt and starts freaking out, leave her for about ten minutes, if she still hasnt calmed down then push her down (be gentle) until she is in what i call "the broody position" and put her on top of the eggs with a towel over her head so she settles down, after about five minutes take the towel off and voila you have a broody with eggs. This is the way that i do it, i dont know if its the right way but i have never had a problem like i said before. You can leave her in the big coop and open the door once a day (they dont usually get up more than that) to take a dust bath and mingle with the other chickens (haha just kidding, there will be no mingling, the other hens will be scared of her, heck im scared of her

) just make sure that the other hens dont lay eggs in her nest, you can either close the door when you let her out (however then she wont be able to return to her nest when she wants) or mark the eggs and than remove any that the other hens lay. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Thanks for the responses.

I moved her last night into the crate in the garage for now. It was just dusk when I moved her and she fussed a bit but once we got into the dark garage she calmed down. She was still sitting on the fake eggs this morning when I left for work. If she's ok when I get home today then she's gonna get a clutch of real eggs this evening after dark.

If all goes well, I may move the crate out to the chicken run after a few days of her being settled on the nest.

I've been waiting for weeks for one to go Broody and now that I've got one sitting on a nest I've got another that wants to also, DOH!
I don't have room to have two broody hens so if the first one takes to the real eggs I'll use the Broody Breaker on the 2nd one.

We're so excited to watch her raise some chicks.