Author Topic: Broody on eggs (Read 2131 times)

lindaball1961@gmail.com · « **on:** May 20, 2015, 09:23:56 pm »

Hi there. I discovered one of my girls sitting on a nest and moved her for her own safety onto a broody box in the main chicken pen, which is large,so she can see all the others and I can let her out to have her break for food & toilet. Presuming that the eggs are fertile and she continues to sit, should I now leave her where she is until they hatch? My OH wants to leave them to run round with the others ( and roost under her at night). Would this be ok or should I transfer her and the chicks to a separate house & run? Probably getting ahead of myself, but want to do the best thing for them. Thanks, guys!

Eve · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2015, 01:54:52 pm »

I make broody coops with a little run attached to them, and place these inside the main chicken run. Just a few bits of sturdy mesh with a top will do.

Once the chicks are a bit bigger (and depending on how well mum can defend them and how nasty the others are) I open the door of their little run so that they can start exploring the big one. By that time the other hens are used to them as well and there's not much bullying, the chicks will have had the odd peck through the mesh by then.

Just beware of gaps in the little run, and make sure it's flush with the floor rather than sitting on bedding so that scratching the bedding doesn't create gaps for chicks to slip under - I lost one that way this year, chicks can sometimes get out but not necessarily back in.

lindaball1961@gmail.com · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2015, 06:48:57 pm »

An update on yesterday's post- she was in the broody box in the main run overnight but eager to get out this morning. I stood and watched her feed, drink and dust bathe, then she went over the top and back to where her nest was. I retrieved her and put her into the broody box, she turned around and came back out and went back to the nest again, walking back and forth trying to find her eggs. I quickly collected all her eggs, putting them into her nest and watched her again. She went straight onto them, and has been there all day. So, I resorted to Plan B-make her safe where she is. She's now got a surround of wire( more to stop the dogs worrying her) and I'm hoping she will be ok. She was coming in and out of here for days beforehand for food/drink, so fingers crossed!!!

sam gledhill46 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2015, 09:26:43 am »

hi, i have hatched chiks before and just from expeirence i find its best to leave her where she is until they hatch and then move them. if they are out in the open they are easy pray for things like crows ad buzzerds. a few years back i had chicks out side and i whatched a crow come down and take a chick.

Kimbo · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2015, 09:58:00 am »

in a previous house we had there was a large pond that a pair of wild mallards lived on. Every year they raised a brood of gorgeous chicks and every year they were picked off one by one by magpies. It was horrible. Some of those ducklings were quite big too as this went on over about 2 weeks.
I hate magpies.
They are currently stalking a tree outside our house waiting for the Blue Tit chicks $:-\$