first time broody hen & human mama

[muddy75]

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. I usually remove my broodies from the nest once or twice a day. I'll sit them down by the waterer or the dust bath area. That's usually enough to get them interested in food, water, and grooming. Most will return to their nest in 15 to 30 minutes. Just make sure she goes back to the right nest.

 

[N F C]

Good luck with your broody girl!

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC. Update?

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

 

[ydnak]

Thank you all for the 'welcome' & the advice. I did get Leone up & out this morning & I set her right by the water & she drank pretty good. She then ventured outside & had a good time running around, fluffing, preening & scratching. I did not find a 'dinosaur' poop but a good amount of very loose by the outside perch where she had gone to.
I'm definitely the crazy mom as I was starting to worry that she had been off the nest too long. No watch, but I'm guessing 15 minutes. So, I then tried to herd her back inside!!!! Should have had a video!!! Curious that she didn't go right back to her eggs but up to one of the regular nest boxes. Anyway, caught her & put her back in her private digs & she went right to the box with eggs. No food but hoping she will understand it's ok to get up for a meal. I am thinking maybe I'll do a forced time off every other day & not every day. What do you think??
Thanks
ydnak

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you all for the 'welcome' & the advice. I did get Leone up & out this morning & I set her right by the water & she drank pretty good. She then ventured outside & had a good time running around, fluffing, preening & scratching. I did not find a 'dinosaur' poop but a good amount of very loose by the outside perch where she had gone to.
I'm definitely the crazy mom as I was starting to worry that she had been off the nest too long. No watch, but I'm guessing 15 minutes. So, I then tried to herd her back inside!!!! Should have had a video!!! Curious that she didn't go right back to her eggs but up to one of the regular nest boxes. Anyway, caught her & put her back in her private digs & she went right to the box with eggs. No food but hoping she will understand it's ok to get up for a meal. I am thinking maybe I'll do a forced time off every other day & not every day. What do you think??
Thanks
ydnak

I do personally know a person who had a silkie die who was broody, so she said. I couldn't believe her hen wouldn't get up to eat/drink or that she didn't think to offer a little dish of water and food once in a while. This is a very rare thing, but I wouldn't chance it if you're not seeing her ever come off the nest.

All you'd have to do is pick her up, bring her out in front of a waterer and feeder and I'm sure she'll gorge herself.

 

[janiedoe]

Thank you all for the 'welcome' & the advice. I did get Leone up & out this morning & I set her right by the water & she drank pretty good. She then ventured outside & had a good time running around, fluffing, preening & scratching. I did not find a 'dinosaur' poop but a good amount of very loose by the outside perch where she had gone to.
I'm definitely the crazy mom as I was starting to worry that she had been off the nest too long. No watch, but I'm guessing 15 minutes. So, I then tried to herd her back inside!!!! Should have had a video!!! Curious that she didn't go right back to her eggs but up to one of the regular nest boxes. Anyway, caught her & put her back in her private digs & she went right to the box with eggs. No food but hoping she will understand it's ok to get up for a meal. I am thinking maybe I'll do a forced time off every other day & not every day. What do you think??
Thanks
ydnak

This is pretty common; going to the wrong nest. You will probably need to keep a close eye on her to make sure she goes back to the right place each time.

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you all for the 'welcome' & the advice. I did get Leone up & out this morning & I set her right by the water & she drank pretty good. She then ventured outside & had a good time running around, fluffing, preening & scratching. I did not find a 'dinosaur' poop but a good amount of very loose by the outside perch where she had gone to.
I'm definitely the crazy mom as I was starting to worry that she had been off the nest too long. No watch, but I'm guessing 15 minutes. So, I then tried to herd her back inside!!!! Should have had a video!!! Curious that she didn't go right back to her eggs but up to one of the regular nest boxes. Anyway, caught her & put her back in her private digs & she went right to the box with eggs. No food but hoping she will understand it's ok to get up for a meal. I am thinking maybe I'll do a forced time off every other day & not every day. What do you think??
Thanks
ydnak

I always remove the broody once a day when I first go out to do chores. I gently lift her off the nest and put her on the ground outside. Then I'll throw a few handfuls of scratch and all the birds will come running and she will either join them or take off to do her own thing. I occupy myself with doing chores and when I'm finished I wait for her to return to the nest.

It does sound like your girl is not fully grafted to her maternity nest so it's a good idea for you to do the same thing and stay and watch her to make sure she gets back on her nest correctly. And if she is able to come and go at her own free will and the hens are also allowed to visit her when they decide, it is necessary for you to remove her to check her nest for errant eggs. It's a nice way to bond with the hen during the incubation so that she will not be quite as aggressive with you when the chicks finally arrive.

 

[ydnak]

Leone has her own private apartment. I fenced off a 5' section underneath the roost platform. I wasn't sure but thought that was the way to go so she couldn't get bullied out of her nest & also so she would be all set when the babies hatched & the others couldn't bully them. Then after a couple days maybe let them mingle for a bit each day or still keep them separate with their own yard area. Maybe I'm over thinking all this. Anyway---that's the set up.
So, reading some other threads----it's not uncommon for the hen to even take an hour break??? Guess I can relax some. I'm going to be gone 4/28 - 5/1 but now planning on cutting it back a day. Will get her off the nest 4/28 in the morning before I leave at noon then plan to be home 4/30 by noon & get her up & out then. Someone will be here to do chores but not this extra duty.
Also wondering about candling. I've read both ways when a hen is setting as opposed to an incubator. By day 10 & at night, I'm wondering if that will just be un-necessary stress to her. But I'm not crazy about exploding rotten eggs either!!
Well, thanks in advance to any words of wisdom.
ydnak
(Kandy)