Broody bym

[-Chanticleer-]

I have my first broody. Looking for advice. Broody hen has been sitting diligently for six days. I placed some fertile eggs under her today. She nudged them all in. She screams if I get too close. She is currently taking up one of the nesting boxes out of four should I move her or let her be? I’ve placed some water and food in the box with her for the time being.

 

[aart]

I like to put my broodies behind a temporary wire wall in the coop with a floor nest. Just easier to keep an eye on them and not have any interference from the rest of the flock. They have enough space to get up and stretch their legs, eat/drink/poop away from nest and no doubt about getting back into the wrong nest. But my coop was designed for this and I move them before I give them fresh fertile eggs.

Never put feed/water in the nest, you want them to get up once every day or two and not poop on the eggs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think you have two basic choices. One, do as Aart does, create a pen where the hen cannot leave and the other chickens can't get to her nest. There are different variations to that and may involve moving your broody. If you decide to go that route get back and maybe we can discuss some details.

The other option is to leave her where she is. If you do that you need to mark the eggs (I use a black Sharpie) so you know which ones belong. Then every day after the others have laid check under her and remove any that don't belong. As long as you remove them daily you can eat them without finding anything strange from the incubation in them.

Bad things can happen either way but both are usually successful. If you move a broody she may break from being broody. If a hen with the flock comes back from her daily "constitutional" (leaving the nest to eat, drink, and poop) and another hen is on her nest she might go to the wrong nest. I have that happen maybe every other year but I just toss her back on her real nest when I notice. There are other things that can happen.

Good luck!

 

[-Chanticleer-]

I’ve left her be but plan on moving her tomorrow. I made a spot for her that’ll have water and food. Hopefully this won’t break her from sitting. The other hens can’t get in her nesting box as she pecks or screams at them. The favorite box is at the end of the row so the other chickens are using that one mostly. Thanks for the advice