Should I move her?

[JakRat]

My silkie is on day 14 and she wont stop pooping in her nest.

I am wondering if maybe I should move her and her nest a bit farther back in the dog crate that they are in. She set up her eggs in the middle of the crate which is about 2 1/2 feet by 1 1/2 feet. Any suggestions?

 

[AnimalLady123]

I don't know? I've NEVER had a broody hen have a clutch of eggs hatch???

 

[AnimalLady123]

Or poop on the eggs for that matter?

 

[JakRat]

Well she does get up to eat and one time she even pooped in her water. I am starting to think that maybe she doesnt feel like she has enough room. I need to candle today anyway so I may just move them.

 

[williamsl77]

I've only had one broody, so this is very limited experience. However, she would not leave her eggs for anything. She pooped right where she was and I would just reach in once a day and clean it out. She pooped on her eggs *I think* just one time. So I picked the poopy eggs up at least once and very gently rinsed them under warm water. People have since told me not to do that because it could damage the protective bloom. Anyway... my broody hen hatched out all nine of her own babies. So neither the poop nor the quick rinse seemed to hurt the eggs at all. I haven't had that good a hatch in the incubator ever.

Good luck!

 

[JakRat]

SO I moved her back in the cage a bit and then I moved her water and food so that she has to get up farther to go get it. Hopefully this helps... last weekend I had to clean poop off her face!

 

[JakRat]

Woohoo!!!!!!!!! It worked!

I went down this morning to check on her and she did poop in her nest!!!!! instead she went closer to where the food is... whew!

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Glad the move worked. My two broodies hid their eggs so well, it was only a day or two after finding them before they had chicks and then I moved them into a brooder in the barn. It was in Nov & Dec! The one had made a huge mess but not until after she was done hatching, and not on the eggs or chicks. Now that you mention it I remember having to scoop out some pretty big poops for a couple of days!

I'm going to put a dog crate in one of my coops to see if I can get one to go broody. I'd rather they do it in the coop then like the others did, out in the bushes and have to worry about predators! I'll use your experience an make sure there's room between food/water for her to get up. What size dog kennel are you using?