Getting a Broody Where You Want Her to Nest

[julesapple]

Good folks, I need hen help again.

You may recall we were hatching Appenzeller Spitzhaubens under our Cochin X. Total fail. Out of a dozen eggs, we finally got two chickies. One was a poor wee thing from the start and died last week. The other was a fine big bouncy chick, but it's clumsy mother crushed it overnight the other day. Can't tell you how gutted I was about it all

I've just purchased 12 mixed Wyandotte eggs to go under my Partridge Wyandotte, Shirley Partridge (an excellent broody & mum). I'm trying to eliminate losing any eggs/chicks this hatch, as we did previously.

I made the mistake of leaving the broody in the henhouse last time, having read this is quite popular in the USA. We lost three to fights over the nesting spot. Not doing that again

What I need are any tips on moving Shirley out of the main henhouse and in to the broody coop, how can I make it seamless and easy?

Thanks everyone!

[Floyd]

We had this with our broody Light Sussex last year, it was simply a case of putting the eggs in the broody coop and then grabbing the hen and plonking her on top of them. You may want to wear some gardening gloves since they tend to get a bit feisty when you move them, ours was a growling, hissing, pecking ball of angry feathers!!

[Glutton4...]

I lined a metal dog crate with cardboard from a large box. All over the inside at one end, roof an' all, and just the base and bottom six inches up the sides of the remaining half. I put the eggs in a 'nest' of thick bedding in the covered side, and shut her in there for 24 hours. She was broody anyway, so didn't complain, then I moved the food and drink to the open side. So she'd stretch her legs once or twice a day.

Once they'd hatched, they had the run of the crate, until they were big enough that they couldn't squeeze through the bars, then I removed the cardboard.

I agree with Floyd - they do get so feisty! But I know you know that!

[Nicos]

Move them at night when it's dark...first the eggs and then the mom...that should work

[julesapple]

Sorry, sorry, this Wedding-of-the-Year is getting in the way of EVERYTHING!!

I did some research, some reading and such, and came across a forum post in USA where the broody's owner had bought some apple crates and put them as nest boxes. When she wanted to separate the broody for safe hatching, she just picked up the crate, broody and all!

Not having lovely apple crates, I made do with cardboard boxes from L1dl and @ldi with scooped bits cut out of the front (they have a dozen boxes of cereals in them usually, ironically this one was for eggs!) I put four of these in our henhouse with some eggs in each. My broody, Shirley, has an Angelina Jolie complex and will pinch eggs from anywhere so she was in a box pdq.

I was going to then pick up the whole box and pop it into our broody coop (a large rabbit house) but the Dort bought me an early birthday present - a wooden dog kennel! So last Sunday we picked up the box, the broody and her eggs and put her in the dawg house. We simply removed the eggs she was sitting on (non-fertile) and swapped them for 11 mixed Wyandotte eggs. She had a quick look around to see if anyone was watching, and shoved them all underneath herself....eggs m'lud? I saw no eggs...

When the chicks are hatched we'll remove the cardboard box.

[Nicos]

That look great Jules!!

Remember to kick Shirley out of there at least once a day so she can have a poo and stretch her legs a bit

I put gravel in the water when my chicks have hatched as I'd read in several places that they can drown in 1cm of water

I have something similar in with the rest of my chooks and make a small brick staircase so they can get back in (which they can do remarkably quickly once you decide to leave the door open!)

11 eggs? ..wow...good luck with them..hope you have a successful hatching!

I have 4 broodies at the moment...you're giving me ideas Jules!!!!

[Glutton4...]

I had completely forgotten about putting stones in their drinking water. I have a friend with 'new' chicks - will have to suggest it to her.

Good luck with them, Jules. Lovin' the Dawg house!

[julesapple]

Progress Report Day 7.

Should have removed the box as soon as she was settled in the dawg house. It's quite long but Shirley Partridge insists on sitting sideways in it, so she crushed an egg. Down to 10.....drat it.

Last night was a bit of a to do; Having removed the box, we discovered that Shirley had pushed all of the shavings and straw aside, and was slipping on the wooden floor of the dawg house, eggs rolling everywhere. We solved the problem with a bit of spare carpet (so glad we have no signs of the dreaded Reds....) replaced sawdust, and straw on top, and she's once again sitting tightly. Several of the eggs got coldish, but at such an early stage it'll probably only slow development a little.

[julesapple]

PS When it's not being used as Hencilliary Accommodation, I'm going to fix it up a bit and paint that dawg house to look like a beach hut!