Persistent broody issues

[TJAnonymous]

Look closely at the article I linked
The wire can be used by itself or if smaller wire floor is installed careful the tray can still be used inside the crate.

Sorry, I didn't see the link on my phone. I've since gone back and reviewed it. Great ideas! I like it.... My only question is if there is a potential to cause problems with a newborn chick if you are using hardware cloth on the bottom of a cage?

 

[TJAnonymous]

@TJAnonymous, I hate to rub it in, but I just scored this down the road from my house. Huge one! I just have to get the hardware to attach top and bottom. You're welcome to it, but that would be a long trip down I-40!

Oooo.....Nice find indeed! I never find good stuff like that....

 

[aart]

Sorry, I didn't see the link on my phone. I've since gone back and reviewed it. Great ideas! I like it.... My only question is if there is a potential to cause problems with a newborn chick if you are using hardware cloth on the bottom of a cage?

Well, never had chicks in the crates...thought this was about broody breaking.
HC on floor with newborn chicks is not something I would do, could be hard on their feet.
You'd need smaller mesh on sides of crate too because tiny chicks could fit thru.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

Well, never had chicks in the crates...thought this was about broody breaking.
HC on floor with newborn chicks is not something I would do, could be hard on their feet.
You'd need smaller mesh on sides of crate too because tiny chicks could fit thru.

You could probably line them with that washable shelf liner stuff. Go a little way up each side.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well, never had chicks in the crates...thought this was about broody breaking.
HC on floor with newborn chicks is not something I would do, could be hard on their feet.
You'd need smaller mesh on sides of crate too because tiny chicks could fit thru.

For flooring for chicks, one thing you could try is plastic cross-stitch mesh like this: https://www.joann.com/joann-mesh-plastic-canvas-13in-x-22in/16057135.html - I have sheets of it to cover wire flooring in rat cages to help prevent bumblefoot, and it can be hosed off to clean.

 

[TJAnonymous]

You could probably line them with that washable shelf liner stuff. Go a little way up each side.

I have a roll of that which I use in the incubator. That's a good suggestion

 

[TJAnonymous]

I walked into the coop this evening to find yet ANOTHER chick that was fully developed but killed. I don't know if the BA broody is doing this or one of the other hens that I suspect is an egg eater.... But this makes the 4th or 5th chick who has died under these circumstances.

So tonight I moved the dog crate into the coop. Moved the remaining eggs under the BA broody into a nesting box in the crate and then moved the broody. She went bonkers trying to figure out how to get out. Hoping she settles down and sits on the eggs. She doesn't have much room in there. Barely room for the nesting box and water. I didn't put a feed bowl in yet because she was bum rushing the door when I opened it to put the water in. Going to wait until morning.... Fingers crossed

 

[TJAnonymous]

So I have an update.... BA broody has been in the crate for several hours so I decided to not wait until morning and peeked in on her. She isn't sitting on the eggs. She's roosting on the side of the nesting box. To make matters worse, she appears to have crushed a fully developed egg. None of it was eaten (unlike the others) but just smashed like she fell on it.

I've had enough. I removed her from the crate. She went back to her old box and sat in it... Even with no eggs.

She had 9 eggs under her. I had candled these eggs a week ago and were sure they were alive. When I looked at them tonight, almost all but 1 looked undeveloped. I put the 1 that was furthest along under the Buff Orpington broody. Of course that didn't save the last chick when I did that but I didn't trust the BA broody to do her job so it's better than nothing. She has been sitting longer this time so maybe it will work out.

I do have 2 other hens that are playing at being broody (a blue Andalusian and an Ameraucana) but they only started in the past few days and I'm not sure if they will be quitters or not.

I'm just SO FRUSTRATED with how many chicks have died because of this broody. And even when I tried to move her to a crate, didn't help.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

So I have an update.... BA broody has been in the crate for several hours so I decided to not wait until morning and peeked in on her. She isn't sitting on the eggs. She's roosting on the side of the nesting box. To make matters worse, she appears to have crushed a fully developed egg. None of it was eaten (unlike the others) but just smashed like she fell on it.

I've had enough. I removed her from the crate. She went back to her old box and sat in it... Even with no eggs.

She had 9 eggs under her. I had candled these eggs a week ago and were sure they were alive. When I looked at them tonight, almost all but 1 looked undeveloped. I put the 1 that was furthest along under the Buff Orpington broody. Of course that didn't save the last chick when I did that but I didn't trust the BA broody to do her job so it's better than nothing. She has been sitting longer this time so maybe it will work out.

I do have 2 other hens that are playing at being broody (a blue Andalusian and an Ameraucana) but they only started in the past few days and I'm not sure if they will be quitters or not.

I'm just SO FRUSTRATED with how many chicks have died because of this broody. And even when I tried to move her to a crate, didn't help.

That's so frustrating! My broody is down to 4 eggs, so I'm not sure what is going on there, but I think I've decided to go ahead and break the rest of my broody girls in case it is a persistent snake problem. Plus it is so hot!

Sounds like you might want to put that girl back in the cage with no nesting material or eggs and give her a broody break too.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The chick killing/egg destroying broody should be broken and never allowed to brood again. Not all broodies are suitable as mothers or even brooders.