moving a broody

[edster951]

What a dilema..

i have three broodies at the moment, one of them, known as chicken little has successfully been moved to another box and run.

however i have two others who are impossible to move. I tried moving one of them, but in the new box and run, she just paced and paced and let the eggs get cold. She only sat on them at night to sleep, then got off the next day and paced. I let her out and she ran to her previous spot and sat on nothing. I got her eggs and put them back under her.

When will be the best time to move her and her eggs. thier box is off the ground, and I worry the chicks will fall out....check the high box on the left.....

The other chook is on a similar height.

 

[Southernbelle]

Tough question! I've heard that relocating standard-size broodies will often break their broodiness, but bantams will still set once moved. I have broody-crazy silkies, so I set empty cat-litter buckets on their sides for nestboxes and if a bird goes broody, I can pick her up nest and all.

Can you tack something over the front to keep baby chicks in? Like clear vinyl strips? After they hatch you can move the whole family to a safer spot. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[bantymum]

Can you drop the box down to the ground?
In future if you plan on hatching chicks, you may want to try not having any boxes up high so you dont have to worry again.
Good luck

 

[paul65]

Did you try moving them at nite i have a orp that went broody i tried moving her in the day time she left the eggs and paced like yours so i waited till about 11pm went out moved her to another building on new eggs she has been on them for 13 days so far maybe that will help.

 

[edster951]

Quote:
I had thought of that....wire mesh over the front from about day 18-19, once all hatched, move the lot.

It's tough when someone says don't have high nesting boxes, thats how they like them, I cannot choose where they go broody...you come home and say.."you still there!!?"

 

[shelleyd2008]

I would just cover the front of the nest, like you said. You don't need to do it that early. Once the chicks start to hatch, the broody will not leave the nest. When you notice that, then go ahead and cover the front.

 

[Msbear]

I think they're fine right where they are. Those little ones will hop down then she'll sit on them on a fluffy spot down low til they can hop back up. Maybe hammer a crib railing on the side

and one day 2 put them all down.