My broody hen insists on laying her eggs in a secret nest next door

[chickenpotter]

I'm now just into my third year of living with chickens I love it and have learned so much from all of the great chicken people here at BYC. It seems, though, as soon as I solve one problem, another one pops up.
So here's my current dilemma: my Specled Sussex hen Dottie went broody right out of the chute last summer as soon as she started laying at 5 months. I didn't discover her cache of 16 little pullet eggs until she had been sitting on them for over a week. I decided to let her finish it out figuring none would hatch. She actually hatched out 2 chicks (who are now grown and nice additions to my flock).
As soon as she started laying in the fall she began laying in the neighbor's yard under their shed. I found her nest and figured I would let her keep it up until she started sitting and then move her into a small coop. She went into molt and out of broodiness and abandoned the eggs.
Now she's back to laying and went right back to her favorite shed spot. I moved her eggs into the small coop and tried to encourage her to keep laying her eggs there. Nope- over the fence she goes and now has picked another location that I can't find.
I don't mind if she lays her eggs there, but don't want her sitting there because we have raccoons, foxes, hawks, etc and I can't leave her unprotected.
Why won't she just lay her eggs in the nest box like a good girl and is there any way to fix this? She is a very sweet and stubborn chicken mama!

 

[Pork Pie]

You may wish to keep her in the coop until she lays, and then let her out. After a few days of (hopefully) laying in a nest, she should get the idea, and break the habit of laying elsewhere. Putting fake eggs, golf balls in the nest may also help her to get with the programme.

 

[chickenpotter]

You may wish to keep her in the coop until she lays, and then let her out. After a few days of (hopefully) laying in a nest, she should get the idea, and break the habit of laying elsewhere. Putting fake eggs, golf balls in the nest may also help her to get with the programme.

I can't lock her in my big coop as the other hens won't be able to get to the nest boxes. I have a small coop and can try keeping her in there longer. I did that yesterday for a few hours. She seemed so frantic that I let her out, but I can try leaving her in there all day. There's water and food in there and a nest box with eggs in it.

 

[chickens really]

Not sure of your set up at all??

You may want to lock all birds up for over a week and retrain her to the coop or follow her to her nest. Collect all her eggs and if she is broody? Lock her in a cage with the eggs inside a garage or shed?

 

[chickenpotter]

Not sure of your set up at all??

You may want to lock all birds up for over a week and retrain her to the coop or follow her to her nest. Collect all her eggs and if she is broody? Lock her in a cage with the eggs inside a garage or shed?

Well, I'll try the second option. Thanks for your response!

 

[aart]

Quote: Ditto Dat^^^

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for 3-4 days (or longer) can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop 24/7 for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[chickenpotter]

Thanks for the advice y'all. I'm working on it. Will weigh in when I find a solution.