Possible broody

[aart]

I was worried because I only counted 6 on the roof.

On the 'roof' or the 'roost'?
Make sure you have plenty of roost space....she may also be in the nest at night because there isn't room on the roost or she' being bullies off of it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Just be careful you don't give your hen frostbite.

She won't, it only got to like 40 last night but I did take them off and make them sleep inside because of her.

On the 'roof' or the 'roost'?
Make sure you have plenty of roost space....she may also be in the nest at night because there isn't room on the roost or she' being bullies off of it.

On the roof. They have enough roost space but seem to prefer the roof for some reason, I guess cause it's higher up? I used to care and take them off every time but now I just leave them. Especially since securing the roof of the run recently. During winter/really cold weather or bad weather like rain or something I take them off the roof and, as long as it's after dark, they hop right in the coop.

In the new coop though they won't have access to the roof and will sleep inside.

I don't think that's it because she's never done this before and they actually shove each other off the roost, even the lower ranking ones. It's actually kind of mean, one will be peacefully sitting there and another chicken comes up and literally shoves themself underneath that chicken, worming their way in until they move.

So she's not afraid to do that.

Sometimes one or two will decide to sleep in the coop though but when they do that they go on the roost. I have had one sleep in the nest boxes but only when the roost bar fell down, which I fixed.

The new coop will have even more room though.

I think she's broody because she didn't leave the nest all day, was pancaked, mad when I moved her (even tried to brood the mud ), and, most important, had drawn eggs underneath her.

She's back on the nest today but I'm just going to leave here there and also not remove her tonight to see what she does and if she stays two nights?

I'm concerned she's gonna get dehydrated or hungry though??

 

[aart]

I'm concerned she's gonna get dehydrated or hungry though??

As long as she has access to feed and water she's get it when she needs it. Hard situation to monitor tho, I isolated mine so I could tell when she had left the nest...water level was marked, feed smoothed over, and the huge poops of course.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks! I don't think she has left the nest which was why I was worried :/

BUT.

My dad said they were all out today so maybe she has started to.

And when I was taking her off the nest, she would eat when out. Didn't seem to drink though but she finally did one day.

Anyway, I still haven't broken her yet cause someone said if you break too soon like before 2 weeks the egg quality is worse for a while? Like thinner shells? So I'm leaving her an extra few days and then breaking her.

 

[keesmom]

IMO I'd start trying to break her now. The longer the broodiness goes on the harder it is to stop them, and much longer before you get eggs again.

It took 3 days for me to break a Cochin last week, and she had just started sitting.

 

[aart]

IMO I'd start trying to break her now. The longer the broodiness goes on the harder it is to stop them, and much longer before you get eggs again.

Ditto Dat^^^
The egg quality thing is a 'wives tale' I suspect, tho I've never heard that one before.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks! She's been off the nest several times today so far whereas usually she stays inside all day amd night so maybe she's finally starting to realize on her own it's not worth it? Hopefully she stops soon. I think I'll still try putting her in the crate though.

And as for the egg thing, they said it came from their personal experience but it probably doesn't apply to every hen I suppose and I have 7 others who can provide good strong shelled eggs

 

[ShrekDawg]

Okay I finally finished her broody cage and am finally going to break her. I added the HC last night but then I had to add more zip ties cause it was sagging so just finished today. Probably should have put the HC on the inside but oh well. A little worried about all the zip ties but I guess it will be okay.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Although it's raining so should I put her in it now?

 

[aart]

Curious why you didn't put the HC on the inside, so existing crate grid would support it?

Where will the crate be, in the coop or under cover from rain??