Moving Broody Hens

[eulogos]

Or maybe mark the hens that go broody and DO tolerate being moved, so you can keep them, and cull the ones that do NOT tolerate moving?

I have not even culled the egg eaters yet... not sure the livestock auction is open these days.

 

[NatJ]

I have not even culled the egg eaters yet... not sure the livestock auction is open these days.

I was thinking "eat them for dinner," but I sometimes forget that not everyone likes to solve their problems that way

 

[eulogos]

I was thinking "eat them for dinner," but I sometimes forget that not everyone likes to solve their problems that way

I am not against eating them. I once raised 25 barred rock roosters to eat. The feed store used to give them away and then get you on the food. But I had a source for the bread that did not get sold at the day old store. After the chick stage I fed them on that and weeds from my garden. My huband killed and cleaned them and we plucked them together. What a smelly job! It was economic necessity then. We had 9 kids to feed on one low income. (We also raised two pigs every year and butchered them ourselves.) It isn’t now. We’d do it again if we had to in order to eat. These days I either pay to have them butchered or sell them at the small animal auction usually to a guy with a live poultry (for eating) market. I am not sentimental, just old and lazy.

 

[ladyfarmer00]

Can you add doors to the back of the nestboxes, too? Then anytime a hen goes broody, you could attach a small coop to the back of her nestbox, and block the side of the nestbox that accesses the main coop. That would give her a private coop, but the same nestbox, and no actual moving of the hen. (Whether that's possible has a lot to do with how your coop/nestboxes are set up, of course.)

What an amazing idea!!! Hubby and I were just discussing the small, but long space (5 ft × 22 ft) behind the coop between it and the barn. Hubby wanted to put boxes for chicks needing lights but it would be pretty tight and awkward. This is just what I needed to hear tonight! That space is directly behind nest boxes 1-7 and #15 & 16. I can't wait to start utilizing that space and making my ladies even happier!!!

 

[aart]

I move the broodies before I give them eggs to hatch.


When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.