Well my White Rock hen, Cliché, has gone broody for the third time this year, in the middle of December. I'm starting to think she likes chicks more than the rest of her flock mates.
The problem is, Cliché is a bit forgetful and after her daily walk, she will return to the wrong nest. I spent many days moving eggs the last time she was broody. I would also prefer not to have to deal with her every day to remove new eggs from other hens.
So, I have decided to move her. She is a very stubborn broody so I don't think I will break her but I'm concerned about getting her to accept a new nest. Here is my plan, let me know if you think it will work;
I am going to move her into a cat carrier tonight, and leave that inside her normal coop. Tomorrow night, if she is still in the cat carrier, I will move her to an unoccupied duck pen. Once I know she is ok with her new nest, I will replace her wooden eggs with some eggs that I currently have in the incubator (she chose a good time to go broody, she will only have to sit for about two weeks!).
Do you think this will work? Anything else I can do to get her to accept her new nest? Should I keep the cat carrier closed for the night or will that stress her out if she really wants her old nest? The last time I moved her, it was to give her chicks and I think that was the only reason she stayed. I have tried in the past to move her with just eggs and she was back in her nest within minutes, but that was during the day so I'm sure that's why.
The problem is, Cliché is a bit forgetful and after her daily walk, she will return to the wrong nest. I spent many days moving eggs the last time she was broody. I would also prefer not to have to deal with her every day to remove new eggs from other hens.
So, I have decided to move her. She is a very stubborn broody so I don't think I will break her but I'm concerned about getting her to accept a new nest. Here is my plan, let me know if you think it will work;
I am going to move her into a cat carrier tonight, and leave that inside her normal coop. Tomorrow night, if she is still in the cat carrier, I will move her to an unoccupied duck pen. Once I know she is ok with her new nest, I will replace her wooden eggs with some eggs that I currently have in the incubator (she chose a good time to go broody, she will only have to sit for about two weeks!).
Do you think this will work? Anything else I can do to get her to accept her new nest? Should I keep the cat carrier closed for the night or will that stress her out if she really wants her old nest? The last time I moved her, it was to give her chicks and I think that was the only reason she stayed. I have tried in the past to move her with just eggs and she was back in her nest within minutes, but that was during the day so I'm sure that's why.
