Very Broody Cochin

[mstailfeathers]

I have a very broody cochin named brown gravy(currently mama gravy ). We have called her Houdini as she keeps adding eggs to her pile and we don't know who she is doing it. I am thinking about moving her to a crate filled with straw, food water near by. I would have the door open for her to get in and out of but the bigger hens could not. What do you think. I also have a big gigantic plastic Rubbermaid tub that I can put on the floor of the coop and put it a way that she is safe. She does not need anymore eggs, as she can hardly cover the ones now. She so wants to be a mama. I talk to her all the time. I tell her she is going to be a good mama, she lets me pet her chin and scratch her back and she just clucks lightly. I do make sure she is getting off the nest and is feeding and drinking ok. She does it in fast forward, it is funny how fast she does it. I do give her treats that have extra protein in it. Mealworms are her favorite, I crush some up in her food. Any helpful hints are welcome. This is my first broody hen, so I have been taking the let nature do it's thing course. Just making sure needs are met.

 

[AlleysChicks]

How long has she been sitting on eggs? I would candle and mark her eggs so if any are added you know which ones to remove.

I just went through my first broody experience and my girl hatched 5/6 eggs! Make sure you have a safe place and plenty of food and water available. She needs to be able to get up a few times a day to eat/drink and go potty.

Best wishes to mama gravy!

 

[mstailfeathers]

How long has she been sitting on eggs? I would candle and mark her eggs so if any are added you know which ones to remove.

I just went through my first broody experience and my girl hatched 5/6 eggs! Make sure you have a safe place and plenty of food and water available. She needs to be able to get up a few times a day to eat/drink and go potty.

Best wishes to mama gravy!

She is getting up, and when I go out I will gently pick her up and set her on the ground were she will go eat, drink, and once took a quick dust bath. She has been sitting on eggs for over a month. I have a friend who is a veteran chicken person come and bring me some fertile eggs, they should hatch around Nov 1st or so. We marked the eggs yesterday with a sharpie marker on a place that it will not smudge if she turns them. She clucks these sweets sounds all the time, even when she is away from the nest.
I thought that by putting her down on the floor(think she is a bantam) and in a place where no other hens can add to her stockpile.