Should I remove my broody hen?

[Boglefamily17]

Hey, I have a broody golden comet in my nesting boxes. I have two roosters, and I’m afraid they will pick on her and the chicks. Should I try to move her away from the big coop before they hatch? If so, when is a good time to do so?
Thanks!

 

[MGG]

Hey, I have a broody golden comet in my nesting boxes. I have two roosters, and I’m afraid they will pick on her and the chicks. Should I try to move her away from the big coop before they hatch? If so, when is a good time to do so?
Thanks!

Can you just block her off somehow? Make sure none of your other hens lay in her nest box. Mark her eggs so if one does you can remove it. Do you have a small coop you can move her to?

 

[Jmiller89]

We had the same problem but when we moved the hen she was so stressed she wouldn’t sit on the eggs. We ended up locking everyone else out of the coop for a couple days so the chicks could hatch. We have livestock guardian dogs so had no issue with loosing birds at night. After chicks hatched we moved her and babies with no problems. She needed the peeping chicks to calm her down.

 

[Quails andchickens]

Hey, I have a broody golden comet in my nesting boxes. I have two roosters, and I’m afraid they will pick on her and the chicks. Should I try to move her away from the big coop before they hatch? If so, when is a good time to do so?
Thanks!

I mean you could move them into a brooder sometimes the roosters will pick on the chicks and kill them so if there is two roosters and a female I would recommend moving the female to a small cage with food and water so she can incubate them also if the roosters beat on each other you should probably separate them to. but if the roosters showed no interest in the broody hen or the broody hen pecks The roosters than you should probably be fine but if you see the rooster showing any sort of aggression towards chicks as they sometimes do I would move the hen immediately or if the roosters aren't showing signs of aggression towards the hen those are cases that you should definitely move the broody hen make sure you bring all of her bedding that she was sitting on and all of her eggs.

 

[Boglefamily17]

I mean you could move them into a brooder sometimes the roosters will pick on the chicks and kill them so if there is two roosters and a female I would recommend moving the female to a small cage with food and water so she can incubate them also if the roosters beat on each other you should probably separate them to. but if the roosters showed no interest in the broody hen or the broody hen pecks The roosters than you should probably be fine but if you see the rooster showing any sort of aggression towards chicks as they sometimes do I would move the hen immediately or if the roosters aren't showing signs of aggression towards the hen those are cases that you should definitely move the broody hen make sure you bring all of her bedding that she was sitting on and all of her eggs.

I have three hens total and two roosters total. I am hoping my roosters don’t fight if I were to move her too. My roosters have surprisingly gotten along with so few hens as is. I can’t have them killing babies either!

 

[Quails andchickens]

I have three hens total and two roosters total. I am hoping my roosters don’t fight if I were to move her too. My roosters have surprisingly gotten along with so few hens as is. I can’t have them killing babies either!

Try locking the broody hen away from the other chickens for a day and then if the roosters fight with each other or beat up the hens then open it back up but if the rooster shown any sign of aggression towards the broody Chicken then it would be best to remove the broody Chicken. I don't have much experience in this field but this is just my advice

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I personally haven't had success with moving a broody mama. I was able to move her within the coop, to a corner I could block off, but I couldn't move her out of the coop.

 

[Boglefamily17]

I personally haven't had success with moving a broody mama. I was able to move her within the coop, to a corner I could block off, but I couldn't move her out of the coop.

I may try that. I have a rather large coop.

 

[Coops Dad]

I moved my broody hen to a dedicated brooder. I set up a nest box, feeder and drip waterer in a 4'x4' enclosure that is plywood on 3 sides plus the roof with a hardware cloth screened panel as the front. Well after dark, I went into the coop, picked up the broody and put her into her new nest box. I then gently placed her clutch around her. She immediately tucked them all under her safe and sound.

She comes off the eggs a couple times a day to eat, drink and poop, and she seems much less stressed without other hens climbing into her nest box with her.

 

[Boglefamily17]

I have a rabbit hutch that I will probably move her to. It has plenty of room for her and the chicks to run around. The others are leaving her alone for now, but I think I’m going to move her when it’s time to candle the eggs. I usually candle around day 12 because they are darker eggs.