To be Broody, or Not to be Broody......

[greenthumbmama]

THIS is my question!

We have a small Partridge Cochin (Ginger is her name) that has been on and off "trying" to be broody. She is at the bottom of the pecking order because she is smaller than my White Rock and my 2 Turken hens. (For background info here, I've had to separate her before because she was being pecked to death. All is well now, but the pecking order is CLEARLY defined for her now.

) There have been many times I've gone out to the coop to collect eggs and found her sitting on them all and refusing to move. I leave her alone and just watch to see if she leaves or not. She's sat there for half a day some days. HOWEVER...one of our Turkens is "Top Hen" and she will go into the coop, squawk like there's no tomorrow, make a HUGE fuss, and soon I will see Ginger running out of the coop being chased by the Turken.

SO...... here is my question. If she has the tendency to be broody, but the Turken won't let her, can we *encourage* her to become broody again if we keep her separate from the Bossy Turken? She tries so hard!!

I know Ginger wants to be broody. In fact, I have 7 lovely fertilized eggs (I don't have a roo and so I traded eggs with my friend from a farm.) that would love a sweet Mama like Ginger to hatch them! We have made a lovely "birthing room" for her in a BIG box in our garage. Safe from Bossy Girl and any other predators. It's dark and quiet. It has a lovely nesting box. Her own private food and water feeders. Something every *expectant surrogate mother* would want! We waited until dark last night to move her in there. She didn't fuss or get upset, but she's looking very bewildered this morning, sorta half sitting on the eggs and half perched so she doesn't have to touch them....

Any advice? Thanks......

 

[greenthumbmama]

GOOD NEWS!

Ginger has been in her special box overnight. I went out there to check on her and she was sitting on them, and then all at once, she started turning the eggs over and moving them! I think this is a good sign that she's in it for the long haul??

 

[calicokat]

Oh yes, I think it's a good sign! You could be having babies in a few weeks

 

[Fuffy]

I have read that it is a good idea to get the hen sitting tight on plastic eggs or golf balls for a few days.
The idea is to do the switcheroo while she is on her 'comfort break'.
I tried it like that, and Hermione certainly looked a bit surprised when she first went in.

But it has all gone perfectly since then

Hope she sits tight and makes lovely fluffies for you

 

[greenthumbmama]

YAY! This is very exciting to me! Go Ginger Go!

 

[greenthumbmama]

Ok, one more question.....

Does it need to be dark in our garage the whole time she's in there? Or can we provide a little light so she can find the food and water should she want to?

Thanks again....

 

[Fuffy]

I would think just normal daylight during the day time and dark at night.

I actually have to lift mine off the eggs and shut her out twice a day so she eats and poops.
I am always VERY careful to use my kitchen timer for this so she has 10 mins and that's it! Gotta keep the babies warm!!!

MY broody nursery is a little house and run away from the other chickens, but outdoors. I have a very technical board to close the entrance at night

Hope this helps

 

[greenthumbmama]

Yes, it does. Something I read today said that the first day should be dark to make sure the hen is committed. Then after that, light so she can see to get food and water. I am glad to hear your reply because it felt kinda cruel to keep her in the dark all day.

I went to check on her a while ago and she had knocked one of the eggs out of the nest. So I put it back.

Thanks Fuffy!