Update: Broody in Nesting Box

[azygous]

Looks great!

 

[CPT]

I just moved our broody hen today to her little maternity ward. Hopefully she'll settle in and lay on the eggs. I've set up a standing heat lamp nearby too. Does it take a while for the broody hen to settle in ?

 

[Crow-ded house]

My broody hen is a super bitch on a good day. Noone messes with her.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Cool, thanks for all the suggestions! I came across this image online, of a broody coop, using pet crates. So, is it suggested to move the broody hen and eggs at night to her new space? ~ ~ I happen to have a pet plastic crate AND metal one. May fashion it up like this one:

View attachment 1331213

I moved 2 broodies and eggs last night, each into their own broody box and run. One took to it like a champ. the other just wanted to go back and sit on her nest in the coop, refusing to sit on the eggs in the broody box, now I am letting her sit on the eggs in the coop nest and trying to figure out how to protect chicks when they hatch as the nest is off the ground. All this to say, it is always best to have a plan B and a plan C. Some broodies don't mind the move others do. Good luck

 

[CPT]

Cool. I actually moved my broody hen this morning! She has been sitting on a raised nesting box inside our chicken coop with our other chickens, turkeys, guineas and rooster. They all get along fine, don't worry. But she had broken 3 other eggs underneath her and she really had a soggy bottom I opened up the coop this morning, and let the coop empty out with all the other birds. Then I moved her to her maternity ward inside one our separate outbuildings. I made sure to make the nursery super comfy /less stressful and warm for her. She wasn't quite sure what to do, but when I checked back on her within an hour, she was sitting on top of her eggs! I'm so proud of my girl. We'll see what happens

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Cool. I actually moved my broody hen this morning! She has been sitting on a raised nesting box inside our chicken coop with our other chickens, turkeys, guineas and rooster. They all get along fine, don't worry. But she had broken 3 other eggs underneath her and she really had a soggy bottom I opened up the coop this morning, and let the coop empty out with all the other birds. Then I moved her to her maternity ward inside one our separate outbuildings. I made sure to make the nursery super comfy /less stressful and warm for her. She wasn't quite sure what to do, but when I checked back on her within an hour, she was sitting on top of her eggs! I'm so proud of my girl. We'll see what happens

View attachment 1335895

So glad the move worked out well, congrats on having such a good hen.

 

[Minky]

And i moved my hen and her 9 chicks (1 week old) to the barn today, and she was so happy to be there. She took a nice dust bath first thing!! Her chicks all watched..like HUH????? What's mom DOING!!??? so cute...

 

[CPT]

Update: All her eggs broke under her, and none of the eggs were developed. Poor thing; so I had to let her out of her maternity ward and she integrated with the rest of the flock with no problem. Maybe she'll try again one day