The wrong hen went broody... curse you Mother Nature!

[Casastash]

Hi all


After snowshoeing to my barn ( No Joke) I have discovered one of my buff Orpington is broody... I am very glad I have a broody but now I’m
In a pickle...

We bought some silkies hoping they would go broody and even provided a handsome showgirl roo they’re own “coop” setup hoping a nice calm environment to raise chicks au natural... well I’ve been getting tiny white eggs and no broody.

The reason I am apprehensive about my Orpington is she is currently in a flock of older, sassy even mean hens and two gentlemen Roos! My husband wants to move her into the silkie coop but I’m worried she will break out of her brooding? I have 7 eggs that were laid today under her to see how it goes( at the risk of my hand mind you!).

Should we be worried about her getting attacked for using the favourite nesting box? Should we move the rude girls ( RIRs) out?
Do we move her out? Or leave it all be and hope for the best?

We have our chickens housed in our show horse barn with 4-8x8 stalls available for use. Our birds cannot be outside right now due to weather ( we just got 2 feet of snow and another 6 inches tonight)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah, a flock of RIRs can play hell with a single orp.
That said, a broody hen is a formidable entity and will almost always fiercely protect her brood from all comers.
If she stays broody for 3 or 4 days, I'd move her into the silkie housing. Make sure to mark the eggs under her today so you can remove any volunteered by the RIRs.

 

[Casastash]

Yeah, a flock of RIRs can play hell with a single orp.
That said, a broody hen is a formidable entity and will almost always fiercely protect her brood from all comers.
If she stays broody for 3 or 4 days, I'd move her into the silkie housing. Make sure to mark the eggs under her today so you can remove any volunteered by the RIRs.

our flock is orp/ RIR mix but the 3 RIR pick on the other 5 orps horribly.

Thanks so much for the advice

 

[aart]

...or if you could fence off a part of her regular coop, it might be less disruptive.

 

[Molpet]

I have blocked off the broodies chosen nest and have food and water available just out of reach... or since I am home, I am around to open it when she wants to take a broody break.

 

[Folly's place]

If you move her, make it to a cage or space as close as possible to her chosen location, not in another barn. Move her at night, to a space already prepared, using a tiny flashlight. Just enough light to manage. She should be eating an all-flock diet like Flock Raiser, or a quality non-medicated chick feed.
If possible, move the other birds to the other location, and leave her in place.
Hatchery RIRs are often obnoxious; I won't have them!
Mary