Where do you house your broody?

[gritsar]

Something I read in Storey's Guide to Chickens last night got me to thinking. Seperate housing for broodies seems like it would be difficult to manage for the backyard chicken keeper.

Where do you house your broody?

 

[gryeyes]

Mine chose their "confinement" locations, and I didn't mess with either one. Buffy took over a popular nest box, but in a coop where nobody but one hen slept. They all laid their eggs there but roosted in another coop. Go figure. So there was daily traffic, but the rooster seldom came up the ramp into the coop living/laying section.

The second one, Shirley, took over a covered kitty litter box in the main coop, which I put there to encourage harmony and reduce the number of annoyed hens waiting for one of the two nest boxes built into the coop. I did not move her or that litter box out of the coop.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks Linda. If my meatie continues to brood, I'm gonna have to make a decision.

 

[spartacus_63]

I have a broody coop now, but I previously used a medium sized wire dog kennel with some moderate modifications for a brooder box. I kept the box in a separate building, but it also worked in the feed room. The broody hen picked the locations, I just provided the box

The keys to success for me was; keep the nosy sister out, and as little involvement from me as possible.

 

[Judy]

I'm on my third batch of chicks in with the flock. One chick disappeared, a couple of years ago. The rest have done fine in with the flock.

I used to have 3 Kraienkoppes, known for their broodiness and mothering. All 3 worked together to raise the chicks, and maybe to set on the eggs as well. There was a "primary" mother but she was killed when they were pretty young, and the others took over mothering.