[Skylark]

One of my Marans has gone broody. Tried the pushing her out of nest box method but she just keeps going back in, even though not actually sitting on eggs as I have taken them out. So now trying the broody coop, using a wire dog crate but it just seems such a shame, she just stands there the whole time and do I leave her in it all night too? I wouldn't really mind if she just did her own thing and brooded but she is taking up the nest box that the others need to use. Don't know what to do - leave her in crate or keep pushing her out of nest box, even though this takes a lot time? Any suggestions welcome

[taz08]

give her a little coop ,, get some fertile eggs 

[mentalmilly]

I agree, shame not to let her.

[Hartwell]

We have just done both the suggested methods as our girls seem to follow suit and go broody following each other.  We have one Orpington on some fertile eggs, one has just hatched one, some eggs in an incubator (competition with my husband as to which is better the broody or the 'bator, I am hoping nature will do best) and we also have just caged another broody orpington in a dog indoor kennel.  We only had to do it for a couple of days and she now appears to have passed out of the broody stage - fingers crossed as we dont need any more.

Good luck with what you decide.

[Marches Farmer]

I've found over the years that broodies generally do better than an incubator, provided they don't change their minds about sitting before the 21 days is up!  Rarely get a dead-in-shell with a broody.  Once they're hatched, though, I find the chicks under an electric broody grow and feather up faster, presumably because they have longer access to feed and water, as they don't get to go outside only when the hen does over the first days.