Moving a Broody Hen

pebojuno

pebojuno

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One of my pekins has gone broody and has been for a week or more. She's in the nest box of our main shed which isn't where I'd like her to be! I tried moving her the other day, I put her in a dark box and then into the house part of a smaller run- in the garden and she immediately broke out of the broodiness and was pecking about having a great time.
I had already ordered some eggs for her to sit on so I put her back in with the main flock and watched as she happily sat back in her nest box and went broody again!
Is there a tried and tested way of moving a hen and keeping her broody? The eggs are safely starting off in the incubator at the moment but I have another batch in there which are due to hatch in two weeks (and another incubator that's completely full!) so I could do with the broody hatching out the eggs I bought especially for her- Any ideas?
 
I think I would move her again,to where you want her to be broody,but,move either your cockerel or a couple of her friends with her.Give her a few days in there and see if she goes broody again.
I don't know what else to suggest except for making the nest box as secure as possible,and dark and placing some dummy eggs in it to encourage her.
 
Has your broody sat on eggs B4? Sometimes they can easily be put off. It also depends on the individual hen. I've had reliable broodies who are always wonderful, and then there are the odd ones that show willing, but then seem to get bored after about a week.
I would definately try again using some false eggs.
Failing that, the hatching eggs that you bought should be ok upto 2 weeks after laying. After then, fertility drops away.
Hope things work out for you.
 
PS. As a last resort - who says you can't leave her where she's happy? You could then move her after the chicks have hatched. I always try to put myself in my hens shoes! (I hope it doesn't show too much :lol: )
Hope this helps, All the best.
 
Thank you both. I'm going to try moving her at night- perhaps with another quiet bird to see if that works- The eggs I brought are in the incubator waiting for the broody to be ready- (Trouble is I have 22 others in there that will hatch earlier!) It is her first time broody- she's only 29 weeks old but she's sitting well so I thought I'd give her a chance! - My other half thought of getting a carboard box to fit the nest box and then moving that to where we want her - might be worth a try ;)
 
Moved her Friday night, she settled in well this time so I put the "real" eggs under her- 7 millefleur pekins that had been in the incubator since Wednesday. Now hoping for a good hatch for her- Can't wait! - thanks for your advice. :D
 
i use cat litter trays in my nest boxes( cheapy ones that cost £1.00), not only are they easier to clean, but should i need to move a broody, i can just pick up the whole thing and never have to touch the eggs and mum ussually sits tight too.
my nest boxes were built to fit the litter trays
 
That's a great idea girlracer- will see if I can get something similar to fit my nest boxes. Looks like another of my pekins is going broody- they must think it's spring despite the snow!- but I have a few eggs in the incubators- (40 odd!) so I can always give her some of those to finish off for me :D
 
Often first time broody hens tend not to stick so early in the year in my experience. They get confused and sit tight only to give up after a week. I always tend to break them this time of year simply because of the weather and the fact they need to be eating more to stay warm etc. Then they go broody early in the spring and often I find sit much better and don't lose so much condition as they do this time of year.

I'd personally not let her sit if its her first time. But then if you have an incubator for eggs to go back in to if she gives up on them it should be ok.

If she is being picky about where she wants to sit (in the hen house) then I'd be far more inclined to break her than let her sit this time of year. But thats just me :)
 
pebojuno said:
That's a great idea girlracer- will see if I can get something similar to fit my nest boxes. Looks like another of my pekins is going broody- they must think it's spring despite the snow!- but I have a few eggs in the incubators- (40 odd!) so I can always give her some of those to finish off for me :D
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thanx but i can't take credit for it, i read it somewhere
my lavenders keep wanting to sit but i just keep stealing the eggs and pushing them out at the moment, cept the old lady of the bunch who has hatched just 1 chick but i took it and put it in the brooder because it was so cold
 
She's been sitting for 2 weeks (apart from when I moved her!) so she looks pretty solid- if she gives up, I'll pop them back in the incubator so I'm not too worried- And when / if any chicks hatch I've got plenty of outbuildings (well my father -in -law has!!) to put the whole ark into to help her keep her chicks warm. At the moment she's doing well so I'll leave her to it- will let you all know the outcome :D
 
pebojuno said:
Moved her Friday night, she settled in well this time so I put the "real" eggs under her- 7 millefleur pekins that had been in the incubator since Wednesday. Now hoping for a good hatch for her- Can't wait! - thanks for your advice. :D
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Sorry to jump in, but where did you get your Millefleur eggs from?

We are waiting for one of the girls to go broody then we can get some eggs for her to sit on.

This will be our first hatch as we have only been keeping chooks since last summer, any tips much appreciated
thanks
 
I got them from a chap near me- Oakleigh Poultry, Pembrokeshire- I think if you google it it will come up!-
I also have 3 millefleur eggs in my incubator(ebay)- hoping for a cockerel from those and pullets from the 7 under the broody. I have 2 mille pullets already so I'll have my breeding pen ready then- so if your broody can wait until around August you can have some eggs from me :lol:
You could try putting some fake eggs (or golf balls!) in the nest box to encourage her to become broody- though as others on here have said it's a bit early in the season really. Good luck :)
 
Just to update my little broody managed to hatch 2- not great but she's very pleased with herself! Now for once I'm wishing for a cockerel :lol:
 
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