Stupid Question - Broody Hen 2 weeks now?

[NoSpringChick]

I know some people think that having a broody is wonderful, but my hen has been in the nesting box for 2 weeks now. I thought that if I kept taking out the daily eggs (yes, the other four still lay in that one nesting box) that she would give up.

Well today the other four started laying on the ground so I finally kicked her out of the coop today and shut the coop door...all five are free ranging, but the one I kicked out is made and squaking like mad. She's got to be hungry.

Anyway, I'm getting some fertilized eggs probably in the mail tomorrow...should I just stick some under her or try to get her to stop brooding?

And if I do give her some eggs; I know this is really stupid, but how will she take care of baby chicks if they hatch? Won't they fall out of the nest? Will she feed them? How will the others react to chicks? I don't want to waste my fertilized eggs.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Some Broody hens are very hard to stop...I had one that set on air for 21 days, finally put some eggs under her and she set for another 21....I keep mine away from the other hens when I want them to set eggs...a wire dog cage is what I use to keep the hen in with from food and water, plus enough space to poo when she needs too...Chicks won't able to get back to a nest box if its up off the ground and its alot easier if you have her seperated from the rest of the flock while she does the hatch....I usually wait a week or so after they have hatched and then open the door and let her and the chicks roam with the rest of the coop birds...mine are all buff/black/blue /splash orpingtons in one pen so they are a calm breed to have chicks around......they don't bother or mind them.....she will take care of them but you need to provide chick starter/grower of which she can eat too and a waterer low to the ground so they don't fall in and drowned....

 

[NoSpringChick]

Thanks so much for your much needed advice....it's exactly what I needed. I think I'm just going to separate her in a dog pen (within the chicken run) like you suggested and give her a few eggs to care for.

At what point would I let her out into the main run with the chicks and the other hens?

 

[NoSpringChick]

Tuffoldhen...well, I got some eggs today in the mail and I put five under that broody.....she jumped on three of them right away and when I went to tuck in the other girls she had all five under her. I put her in a dog kennel the wire type and gave her plenty of water and food....hoping for the best.

Thanks again.

Terri

 

[Sahara]

You will have biddies before you know it. Good luck!

 

[NoSpringChick]

Quote:
Oooopppps....I did what you said...put a dog kennel inside the coop last evening...she sat on all five eggs over night like a good little broody..but when I threw in some treats for the other hens she was so mad; I was afraid she was going to step on the eggs, so I let her out to free range with the others... It's been over 1 hour since she has been let out; will she know to go back to the eggs?

If she does go back do I just lock her in the kennel until the chicks are 2 weeks old? The dog kennel is 8 square feet.

 

[Ese_N_Gracie]

Gracie got carried away twice when she was broody....dustbathing in the sun...but when I came out to remind her to get back on her eggs...she ran right back in and was stuck there....I kept a close eye on her (which was easy since she was in my living room...and I'm obsessed) but they aren't supposed to leave for more than twenty minutes or so...the egg cools and goes back into a form of torpor...and if this happens too many times it won't have enough energy to develop fully. ANd Perhaps maybe give her more treats than the others...I'd be mad too if my husband and friends were sitting around eating icecream while I was bed ridden pregnant an unable to partake!