4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[MerchDuw]

Hi,

My Black Rock has gone broody, refuses to leave the Eglu. I would like to put some eggs under her. Is it ok to move her to a different nesting box? Will she still sit?

[koo2cat]

We moved our broody onto some fertile eggs in a broody box and although she created a terrible fuss at being moved (guantlets needed!) when left alone she settled after about five minutes and then didn't move for 19 days!!!!!! Make sure the broody box is quite dark as I think this helps in calming them down after being moved - that's my limited experience anyway!

[atsw]

Yes, totally fine to move the broody, in fact you must move her. She can't stay with the rest of the flock while incubating eggs, or indeed tending to the little chicks once they hatch (other hens in the flock will attack and eat new born chicks ).

 

koo2cat's advise is spot on. Either move her early evening, or if that's not possible, shut her in a blacked out broody box for a few hours. If she's serious about hatching she'll stay put. If not, she'll be up and about after 48hrs!

 

Andrew

[MerchDuw]

Thanks for that, especially the gauntlet bit! I'll give it a try this evening. I haven't had a broody hen before, can't wait to see if she'll stay put. Signs are good, I guess, seing as she hasn't been off the nesting box all day today again.

[Chillicat]

How did you get on?

 

I tried to move my broody and set her on some hatching eggs by moving her from the cube to a prepared eglu. She was clearly upset with this and she paced up and down the eglu run for 3 hours before I decided to put the eggs and her back with the others in the cube....she has since been happily sitting on the eggs for 17 days.

 

I know I need to move her before the chicks come on Sunday, but I'm now concerned that she may abandon the eggs at the last knockings! I would never forgive myself if it went wrong. I'm planning to move her and the eggs during the night....probably tonight.

[tom123]

Could you seperate her inside the nestbox with cardboard until the chicks hatch then move all of them together?

 

Tom

[MerchDuw]

Well. So far so good. She's in a seperate nesting box adn sitting quite happily. The gauntlet bit was right though. I dared peep at her and well, aw!