One broody hen moved, one....well....

[RubberChickenLubber]

Ok, I have 2 broody australorps. One has been broody for almost 2 weeks, and was sitting on some eggs from my mixed flock. The second one went broody Sunday, but I went ahead and ordered eggs for her. My kids 3 and 4 went into the main coop where the first broody was sitting on her 1 1/2 week eggs, and broke them. I think out of curiosity. Their butts were red, and they have not been allowed outside since, unless me or hubby are out there doing something. So, I put the second brood in a dog kennel with a "doghouse" style coop with a removable side, and she took to the nesting box right away. Last night I went out and moved the second broody. I went out this morning, and she's running around the kennel raising cain. I'm gonna give her the rest of the day, and if she doesn't sit on the box, I guess I'll move her to the main coop. She hatched in there last year and had no problems with the other chickens. I went ahead and ordered eggs for her too. They will be green, and since I have no other green egg layers they will be easy to tell apart from the other eggs. I just don't want to keep her running around too much, and then lose interest in sitting. Uggghhh, why can't she just be happy?...lol

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Some hens are more easily disturbed than others, some will stick with their eggs no matter where you put them, others will quit the job if they're bothered. That's why it's best to move them well after dark, and try to keep things as similar as possible. If I have to move a broody I try to move her inside her nest box if it's portable. If not, I'll try to slide her into a box/bucket one night, and if she stays there I'll move the whole box the next night. Once she seems content to set in her new location, then I'll swap out the eggs she's begun for the ones I want for her to set. Of course you could let her continue with the eggs she's begun. My broodies are bantams, and they usually begin with banty eggs, which I don't want more chicks from right now.

When I set up a new site for a broody, I sprinkle the ground with Sevin Dust to rid it of ants & mites. When I move the bird into it, I cover the sides with old feed sacks, to make it dark & private. If possible, I even try to orient the new nest in the same direction she had her old nest facing.

Maybe your hen will settle down eventually. Check to see that she doesn't have a legitimate complaint, like ants or mites. I wish you all great success!

 

[RubberChickenLubber]

Well I moved the "problem" hen about 10 last night, so it was definately dark. I moved the 2 eggs she still had with her. I was thinking that I could put these in a brooder right after hatching, and move them back when the others hatched. Well, I guess she was so distraut that she broke these. I've never had a problen with her, or any of my hens, breaking eggs. If she won't sit any today, like I said, I'll move her back to the main coop.

 

[basicliving]

I had a similar experience with 2 broodies. Moved them both to pens at night and one took right back to sitting on her eggs uninterrupted. The other raised cain, but I decided to leave her overnight and maybe she'd settle down. She. Did. Not. The next morning she was still pecking at the cage wire trying to escape and her eggs were stone cold. I put her back in the nest box with her eggs and she's been sitting tight on them. I don't know if the eggs will be ok or not since they got cold overnight, but we'll see. I just check and remove any other eggs each night - I marked hers.

Geez. There's one in every crowd, isn't there?

Penny

 

[RubberChickenLubber]

I went ahead and let the one hen back in the main coop. She was on top of the smaller brood coop trying to figure out how to get out. I simply had to open the kennel door, tben open the coop door, and she went straight to the nest. I don't see the point in stressing her out.