Question on being broody

[Elizabeth Ann]

O.k. so my chicken Peep just went through being broody. She stayed in the nestboxes all day. Now, my chicken Popcorn has gone broody. But she prefers to lay all of her eggs in a bush - NEXT DOOR! I found 8 frozen eggs at my neighbors. She loves to free range, snow, sleet, rain. She is out. I have been keeping her in the coop so she will lay in the nestboxes again. But I feel so bad. She squawks at me! My question is...Is it o.k. to let her free range after she has laid in the nestboxes for the day or should I just keep her conatined?

 

[swtangel321]

Sure let her out, why not !! If you keep her in for a little while she might learn again to lay in the nest and not at the neighbors.

 

[scooter147]

After she lays there is no reason not to let her range. I suspect the next time she goes broody it will be in the coop.

 

[@migocontodos~]

I'd keep her in the coop for about a week...then I'd let her free range all she wanted to.
Going broody in the bushes really does up her changes of being preditor food!-

 

[Southernbelle]

Wherever mine lay their eggs, that is where they go broody, for better or worse!

 

[Elizabeth Ann]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I might try a little of both. After she lays her egg in the nestboxes I'm going to let her out. I'll watch her and if the chicken crosses the road (ha. ha.) she will be stuck in the coop.