Broody hen

[Firsttimechicksxxx]

Hi everyone,
I have a young pekin bantam broody hen sitting in the coop with a clutch of about 5 fertile eggs in the nesting box, she is sharing the house with 3 other girls and 2 cockerals (1 who is being rehomed in 2 weeks) I have noticed that in the evenings one of the cockerals tends to bother her and stand on her and peck her. I am very keen for her to hatch chicks and this is my first ever time having a broody hen. I am assuming I will need to move her into a separate enclosure how will I move her and her eggs without breaking her broodiness? (This is her 2nd day sitting on fertile eggs and she has been trying to sit for about 5 days)
Thanks!

 

[Mrs. K]

Put the cockerel in the cage.

Everyone does broody differently. If you have already started eggs, I would just leave her be. (Of course, even if you hadn’t started eggs, I would just leave her be, that is how I do it). But if you have started eggs, well you can move her and the eggs, but sometimes she will go back to where she wanted the nest, or she will quit being broody.

But mine hatch in the flock and it has worked for me. It is the longest 21 days ever.

 

[Ridgerunner]

about 5 fertile eggs

You don't know exactly? That's more self-control than I have.

Since her nest is in the coop and available to the other hens you need to mark her eggs (I use a black sharpie). Other hens may add eggs to her nest. I check every day after the other hens have laid and remove any that don't belong. As long as you remove them every day they are still good to eat. You don't want other eggs to be added to her nest and start developing as she will abandon the nest to bring the chicks off before the late eggs hatch. And if she gets so many eggs she can't cover then all some will get pushed out, die from the cold, get pushed back under her, and other eggs pushed out to die.

I am assuming I will need to move her into a separate enclosure how will I move her and her eggs without breaking her broodiness?

I don't move them though many people do. If you move her build a predator safe pen with a nest, food, water and not much else room. Move her and her eggs at night and leave her locked in the pen until the eggs hatch. She may accept the move or she may break from being broody.

Good luck!

 

[Firsttimechicksxxx]

You don't know exactly? That's more self-control than I have.

Since her nest is in the coop and available to the other hens you need to mark her eggs (I use a black sharpie). Other hens may add eggs to her nest. I check every day after the other hens have laid and remove any that don't belong. As long as you remove them every day they are still good to eat. You don't want other eggs to be added to her nest and start developing as she will abandon the nest to bring the chicks off before the late eggs hatch. And if she gets so many eggs she can't cover then all some will get pushed out, die from the cold, get pushed back under her, and other eggs pushed out to die.


I don't move them though many people do. If you move her build a predator safe pen with a nest, food, water and not much else room. Move her and her eggs at night and leave her locked in the pen until the eggs hatch. She may accept the move or she may break from being broody.

Good luck!

Okay thanks! Still deciding whether to move or not, really don’t want to break the broodiness but not sure what’s safer…

 

[Mrs. K]

It would be way easier to move the cockerel that is bothering her. The other hens would probably be glad he is gone too.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I moved 4 broodies jjust as the chicks were hatching. Not sure that was right or wrong, I just got hysterical realizing the nests were a long way from the ground and I didn't want the chicks to fall out and not be able to get back in the nests. All the hens settled into the new nests just fine. I agree with the others, remove the idiot cockerel for now!

 

[Firsttimechicksxxx]

It would be way easier to move the cockerel that is bothering her. The other hens would probably be glad he is gone too.

Will do!

 

[mschele]

This is perfect timing. I had an Easter egger hunt earlier today when one of my girls wasn’t in the coop at bedtime last night. She was back this morning, looking for water I guess. I found a huge clutch of eggs—at least 15!—but haven’t moved them yet. She hid them well but they’re unprotected nonetheless. I can’t decide whether to seclude her in the small coop we use to raise chicks or move her into the coop with 22 other hens and roos. The thought of that makes me a little nervous. I’ve never let a broody girl hatch before, so I’m eager to see how it goes! I appreciate the advice everyone has shared here.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

I moved my broody and her eggs around day 7 to a new coop and run. I had to lock her in there for a bit but she took to it. I did it at night in the dark, placed her right on her new nest and eggs. She was frazzled and confused the next day so I kept closing her in for periods. By day 3 it was home again and her eggs hatched on day 20! Im happy she and her chicks are still separated from the full crew for now. Eventually ill let them mingle but for now I think its safer for her babies.

 

[Mrs. K]

Don’t wait too long, what happens is people want to wait til the chicks arev4-6 weeks old. They stick them into the flock and it is a disaster.

Right after hatching the broody protective hormones are high, she will defend her chicks, intimidate the layers, and the chicks fit into the flock effortlessly.

If you wait, till 4 weeks, the broody hormone is waning, and the hen will ditch her chicks trying to re-establish her own place in the flock.

Some hens will care for chicks for a long time, but most quit around week 4.