Hens sharing nesting boxes

Ann@Nanango · **Posted:** Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:06 pm

Hi everyone

I have a Light Sussex hen who has just gone broody. My question is:- Does anybody else have the problem of their hens sharing nesting boxes to the extent that they go in with the broody and lay in the same box. I don't want A: to have to retrieve eggs which I don't want hatched - I'm not a fan of being pecked (or watching my back) and B: Have eggs which are at different developmental stages - causing the girl to lose interest after the due date. Oh also, she went broody and didn't have one egg under her. I just put a dozen under her which I had saved for the incubator, I'm not sure if she is still laying or not.

I've just stood in the chook pen for about an hour waiting for one girl to lay in an alternative box (poly pipe in one hand - to stop the non broody hen going in the wrong box - and Light Sussex Rooster in other - we'll call that self-defense) I've decided the safest way to do things in my L/Sussex chook run is with him under my arm. :lol:

I eventually won, but don't always have the luxury of being able to stand there for so long to wait for her to make the "right" decision. Will they lay in the same box (the right one) from now on? Has anybody else successfully dealt with this problem?

Thanks

Ann

greenaus · **Posted:** Sat Sep 12, 2009 5:46 pm

Is it possible to move the broody hen complete with nesting box to another pen of her own?

That's basically what I've done, but at the time that was more to do with allowing the chicks to hatch away from the other adults. Unlike now, we had multiple nesting boxes last year and I don't recall there being a problem, so can't help there.

When Brownie went broody last week it was in Big Rex's pen where there was only one 44 gallon drum. I picked up the entire drum and moved it to the new broody pen and then replaced the drum with another (same colour, same size, same setup...I wonder if they noticed).

bunyanuternie · **Joined:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:31 pm **Posts:** 2903

I'm with Charles My broodys go straight into the showpens when they sit :mrgreen:

Ann@Nanango · **Posted:** Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:51 pm

Oh OK. Maybe this is the general consensus then.

I was just worried if I moved her she would go "unbroody". One way to tell I guess. Maybe I could just section off one quarter of the chook run. Yeah, I'll do that.

Thanks guys.

Chow for now.

Ann

greenaus · **Posted:** Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:18 am

Based on my experience, if you move her to a new nest, even with the eggs she had under her, she may leave the new nest and go (or try to go) back to the original nest. Not so much of a problem if done at night.

That's kind of why I now take the original nest, too....just pick up the whole thing.

It's only been my experience and others may have varying degrees of success.

Ann@Nanango · **Posted:** Mon Sep 14, 2009 3:15 pm

Hi Charles and Ian

I now have my broody girl safely separated. I just stuck some graduated dog wire and old roll top fencing around her nesting box in the coop and added some food and water for her and she's safely stowed away until the blessed event.

I have just found out the power will be going off on 23 September so it will be Day 14 for my eggs in my incubator. Hhmmmm, wonder if my broody will handle 42 additional eggs for the day. LOL Just joking.

Might put some bubble wrap and warm blankets on them for the day hopefully that'll do the trick. Will put it on a few hours before the scheduled power out so everything will be toasty before hand. Wonder if I could just take the cupboard out into the sun. That'll certainly keep them warm. Hhmmm, too many options. Oh dear now I'm talking to myself.

Gotta go.

Thanks for your advice guys.

Ann

greenaus · **Posted:** Tue Sep 15, 2009 12:30 am

Ann@Nanango wrote:

Wonder if I could just take the cupboard out into the sun. That'll certainly keep them warm.

You can't do that. It will be raining. :roll:

julie at serenity · **Posted:** Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:50 pm

Oh dear Anne,

you are probably like me....I ponder all these problems throughout my day (and sometimes the night)
I am sure there is an unwritten rule amongst chooks that THAT particular nest box is everyone's favourite, hence the squabbles.....

I had a similiar planned power outage in August, fortunately my incubator is only small, and I picked the whole thing up and did a mercy dash to a friends place who was not having the power outage...then took the whole thing home.....

maybe you could find some spare broodys????

Ann@Nanango · **Posted:** Wed Sep 16, 2009 9:48 am

Oh Julie, you've given me a brilliant idea. I was just joking about shoving 42 eggs under a broody, but my landlords daughter has two broody's which have nothing under them, and another one of our Light Sussex has just gone broody (yesterday), maybe I will pop them under the girls for the day. Oh, only problem is the psychological damage to the broody's, they'll be devastated having them taken off them.

I might do a trial run and take the cupboard out in the sun and see if it does hold it's heat at all. It has a full glass front, so should let a lot of lovely sunshine in.

Charles, this is Nanango, we just don't get rain! ! !

Oh, unless I've just given the car it's annual clean.

Cheers for now.

Ann

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