NEED A SMALL COOP THING FOR MY BROODY HEN!!

[LakeBird]

Sorry for the delay. Here you go:


Like I wrote, supper basic, I threw something like it together on the spur of the moment a few years ago the first time I wanted to hatch, but I found it so convenient I've done it the same way ever since. Note that the chicken wire isn't stapled at the top on the right side--it's just hooked over a nail so that you can unhook it to step through.

The Light Brahma in the nest is approaching her third week now. Occasionally when I see her off the nest during the day I reach in and lift her out and let her run around for a little while before I put her back (she's extremely tame).

This may seem like a dumb question, but I am new to broody hens. I hope to let nature take its course next year and use a broody hen verse the incubator. Does the broody hen go outside at all during the time she is incubating?

 

[instar8]

I lost two broody hens in one house this spring, now i have another and i'm determined to keep her safe! Most nights, i have the house all shut up, but a couple nights a week i have to go in @ 6p, no way i can get them in that early, and it's just been too hot to keep them in all day...they roost 8ft off the ground, so they're safe from anything but maybe an owl. But the broodies are 'sitting...chickens'! I shooed this one into a wire dog crate, 3ft wide and 5ft long, i had it for my shepherd mix mutt when she first came. I think this will work! It's big enough for her to brood the chicks too, until i can move them into a portable coop.

I think i paid $80 new for it, but i see them at garage sales, etc, I always pick them up when i see them (the wire kind) cause they're nice for rowdy roosters or an injured bird.

 

[triplepurpose]

This may seem like a dumb question, but I am new to broody hens. I hope to let nature take its course next year and use a broody hen verse the incubator. Does the broody hen go outside at all during the time she is incubating?

As I was once told, "the only stupid question is an un-asked question," or something to that effect.

The broody hen will leave the nest (usually only once in a 24 hour period) for a short time daily to poop (they hold it while on the nest), drink, and eat, and sometimes to dustbathe. With a set up like mine she has food and water available to her the whole day to access as she sees fit, and she has enough space to poop without soiling the nest too. A handful of diatomaceous earth applied by hand into her feathers and some in the nest itself beforehand in effect makes up for any lack of daily dustbathing and is a good idea anyway to make a routine of since setting hens and new chicks are especially vulnerable to ectoparasites--I apply at the beginning of a setting and sometimes dust the hen and the nest again once or twice when the opportunity arises during the hatch or if I have special reason to suspect there may be lice or mites around. Sometimes my broody hens enjoy being let out of their enclosure for a while, which is nice--fresh air, sunshine, and all that--but since I make sure they have everything they really need in there I don't worry about it.

To anyone interesting in broody hatching, beginner or otherwise, I highly recommend studying up on this article: http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[FlaRocky]

Hi,

I have a wolf size wire dog crate that is set up in one corner of my coop. Then I just move my nestbox into it with food and water. No stress to the hen. I use 12 gal. plastic totes with a hole cut in one end for nest boxes. Easy to clean and disinfect, just take out side empty on compost pile, then wash bleach if needed. Then sundry and put back in coop. I put 1X6 around crate to keep new hatched chicks with mom.




Maye

 

[LakeBird]

As I was once told, "the only stupid question is an un-asked question," or something to that effect.

The broody hen will leave the nest (usually only once in a 24 hour period) for a short time daily to poop (they hold it while on the nest), drink, and eat, and sometimes to dustbathe. With a set up like mine she has food and water available to her the whole day to access as she sees fit, and she has enough space to poop without soiling the nest too. A handful of diatomaceous earth applied by hand into her feathers and some in the nest itself beforehand in effect makes up for any lack of daily dustbathing and is a good idea anyway to make a routine of since setting hens and new chicks are especially vulnerable to ectoparasites--I apply at the beginning of a setting and sometimes dust the hen and the nest again once or twice when the opportunity arises during the hatch or if I have special reason to suspect there may be lice or mites around. Sometimes my broody hens enjoy being let out of their enclosure for a while, which is nice--fresh air, sunshine, and all that--but since I make sure they have everything they really need in there I don't worry about it.

To anyone interesting in broody hatching, beginner or otherwise, I highly recommend studying up on this article: http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

Thank you - very helpful!