Moving a Broody? - update 4/6

[rigagirl]

i have a question.
i think or thought that 2 of my girls have gone broody and i keep waiting until dark to move one of them and when i go out at night neither is sitting on eggs does that mean they are not ready or should i still move her and eggs to box i have for her?

 

[Ridgerunner]

You migth check this out for sunrise times.

http://www.almanac.com/sunrise/40379

Always glad to help

 

[saladin]

Whether it is 10 feet or 100 feet it doesn't matter; moving a broody can be a very tricky event. Here are some suggestions:

1. Do it after dark.
2. It is always best to sit the hen on false eggs first to see if she'll continue sitting. (In your case that may not be possible but don't be surprised if she defiles the eggs).
3. Once moved, cover the opening with something like a feed sack that allows air to flow through but keeps the broody in the nesting box. Don't worry about food or water. Keep her there for 24 hours.
4. Take the sack down after dark the next day.

This doesn't always work but it works rather well. Of course, it also helps if you are moving a broody that is from one of the more serious broody breeds.

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
This is the rotuine I followed, sort of.

Thanks for the advice.

Looks like she is going to accept her new locatation.

I moved her early in the morning, but she got off the nest mid-day and started pacing the pen looking for a way back to her original nest. I let her out to get back to her favorite nest, figuring to try again the next day. The following evening I put her back in the new nest, with a few golf balls and closed her in the nest box with a hardware cloth barrier. I left her locked up for 24 hrs. I took the barrier down and she seems to have accepted her new diggs. Snuck a half dozen eggs under her two days ago and so far, so good.