Broody chicken keeps changing nesting boxes

[Sublight]

I have a broody silkie that has went broody for the first time. But she just changed nesting boxes. I was saving up eggs to put under her, cause she is currently sitting on ceramic eggs.

Now she is box jumping. I don't know what to do, my coop is big enough for my chickens to sleep and lay in, but not much more. Its small. I am going to rebuild, but not until after we buy our next home.

Anyone have inexpensive suggestions about what to do here? I really want chicks. Mabe a box, or something. Ill have to put it under the coop. Do I need to worry about giving my pregnant chicken sunlight, or can it just be a sealed up box? Obviously with air holes, food, and water.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some broody hens are a lot worse about switching nests than others. What often happens is that a different hen is laying on her nest when she gets back so she gets confused and goes to the wrong nest. Some are really easy to confuse.

Lack of space is a problem, glad you will correct that in the next coop. I like the flexibility extra space gives you. But hang on to your current coop. As you are seeing it can come in really handy to have a second place ready.

Since your hen is showing this behavior you need to lock her up so she can't get to another nest and no other hen can get to hers. You don't need a lot of room, enough for a nest, food, and water. A little extra room for her to go poop would help. A broody hen should know to not go poop in her nest but she does not know to not go poop in her food and water. You'll probably be doing some cleaning. It's probably better to have the food and water far enough away from the nest so she needs to get up and walk to it. But that space doesn't have to be very big.

Obviously it needs to be predator proof or in a predator proof area. It's generally good if the nest is s little dark, that seems to calm them, but she needs enough light to see to eat and drink.

There are different ways to go about this. I don't know which are best for you. Can you build a cage around her current nest? In a small coop that could be a challenge. One of those dog crates (not really inexpensive unless you have one on hand) or something similar could work. If your run is predator proof you can build a cage out of chicken wire, pretty inexpensive, but maybe you have other wire on hand. Maybe you can move her to another outbuilding?

The biggest risk of moving her is that she will break from being broody. I find it best to move them at night after it is dark and leave her locked in the nest most f the next day. Many people don't lock her in the nest by itself though and usually have good luck.

 

[azygous]

Have you ever had a broody incubate eggs before? They do more than just sit like a stone Buddah on a nest for three weeks. They need to get off the nest to take a quick poop and to dirt bathe, albeit a quickie. So whatever you rig up needs to have space for her to get off the nest to do these things.

If you posted a photo of your setup, we could help you get some ideas.

 

[WILIFORD]

I am not an expert of any kind, but I don't think isolating her in a box, without light would be a good choice. My answer would be build a very small isolation pen, say 3' X 4' and maybe 1 1/2' to 2' tall. Install a single nest box in it and transfer her and her eggs to there. Depending on your climate you may need to modify this idea to make sure she does not get chilled at night. I would also build this pen on legs about 12 to 18 inches off of the ground. That way if you need to use it in the future to correct broody hens it could work for that as well. In fact I have 1/4" plywood panels for my isolation pen, so it can be used as a brood box as well, by simply installing the panels and my light. This way you have a single unit that serves multiple purposes. Hope this helps

 

[luvmigirls]

My hen did the same thing. If you separate her she will stop jumping. Otherwise, mark the eggs, and check 2x a day that the correct eggs are under her in whatever spot she keeps choosing. I had an egg I found cool to the touch a couple times after she jumped and still hatched healthy. She also would move eggs to next box over... a feat I still have yet to explain.

 

[azygous]

My hen did the same thing. If you separate her she will stop jumping. Otherwise, mark the eggs, and check 2x a day that the correct eggs are under her in whatever spot she keeps choosing. I had an egg I found cool to the touch a couple times after she jumped and still hatched healthy. She also would move eggs to next box over... a feat I still have yet to explain.

Someone here has claimed they solved the mystery of how a hen can move eggs without having the "means" to do so. She will scoop the egg up under her neck and hold it against her body as she transfers it to the new nest. Still a neat trick for an animal that has no dexterous appendages.

I keep saying how smart chickens are.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

I have some wire hanging cages in the barn big enough for nest box water and food. I use those to let the hen go broody or break her broodiness. I have a wooden nest box I put hay & fresh eggs in and mark the date on the eggs, I move the hen at night and set her on the nest, turn off the light. morning sun gives her light and she usually accepts staying there pretty well. moving during the day, they often want to go back to the coop and won't sit the eggs. I will put the hen in the cage without a nest box or eggs to break broodiness, and that usually works within 2-3 days. sometimes when the eggs are hatching I steal the chicks so the hen stays on the nest until last chick has hatched, then sneak them back under her. often a hen will leave the nest when first chicks are dry and find their way out of the box, that leaves the unhatched chicks to cool too much and not make it out. I have never hatched chicks in this cooler weather coming, so they would need a draft free, with heat source place to stay warm with momma.
Best of luck to you.

 

[Sublight]

OHH, I just remembered. I have a 6'x6' quarantine box that I built when I bought the silkies as babies. It gives her plenty of room, and it is built with hardware cloth. The only predators that can come around are possibly rats.

I think ill make a make shift nesting box in it, to protect her from the coming chilly weather (Florida chili). She should be fine. And no other chickens to bother her.

 

[ChickenDude12345]

My hen did the same thing. If you separate her she will stop jumping. Otherwise, mark the eggs, and check 2x a day that the correct eggs are under her in whatever spot she keeps choosing. I had an egg I found cool to the touch a couple times after she jumped and still hatched healthy. She also would move eggs to next box over... a feat I still have yet to explain.

This is such a late response Bit I have this exact question right now. What do you do if she is in another nest box and the fertilized eggs are just sitting in another. Do you move the he or the eggs? Thanks

 

[ChickenDude12345]

This is such a late response Bit I have this exact question right now. What do you do if she is in another nest box and the fertilized eggs are just sitting in another. Do you move the he or the eggs? Thanks

Hen