Uncooperative broody hen

[Stefrrr]

But not in the way you’d expect. One of my cuckoo marans has been broody for over two weeks now. Every day I’ve been moving her out of the nest box and blocking her from returning. She would hang out in the nice big orchard with food and water with two other broody hens (!) and my buff Orpington mama all day. Then the other two got better, so I just gave up a couple days ago and let her sit in the box except to sleep. Today I set up the brooder box on the floor in the coop and put Barbara in it and bought a couple chicks to sneak under her tonight. Just now, when I went out to change out some aprons on my roosters favorites, Barbara demanded to be let out of the brooder box and FLEW UP ONTO THE ROOST.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Oh my goodness! That must be so so frustrating!

 

[Stefrrr]

Oh my goodness! That must be so so frustrating!

I moved her back into the brooder box when she was sleepy and put the chicks under her a little later last night. Today they’re all happy together.
I could tell the chicks were a little older because they had some feathers on their wings, but I didn’t realize just how much until I got home and discovered their hatch date was probably two weeks ago. Fortunately all seems fine, but I will pay more attention next time and not do that again.

 

[50-45-1]

. She would hang out in the nice big orchard with food and water with two other broody hens (!

A dedicated broody hen would not be outside roaming around.
For this reason she may not mother the chicks.
And if the chicks are older they may not inprint on this hen.

 

[Stefrrr]

A dedicated broody hen would not be outside roaming around.
For this reason she may not mother the chicks.
And if the chicks are older they may not inprint on this hen.

She wasn’t roaming around. I separated her in the orchard so she couldn’t sit in the nest box all day. This thread is almost a week old. They’re all doing great.