[bedifferent]

I have a broody Cochin, about 4 days in. She seems very serious although good natured.

I have tried putting her in a broody pen but she went mentle, would not settle and sit on her eggs. All she wants to do is nest in her box 5.5 ft off the ground. That is the first problem! A 5 ft drop does not sound very safe for new chicks - particularly in a shed with a load of other hens!

Speaking of other hens, for some bizzare reason, since she has become broody the other hens are jumping in her nest box and laying their eggs under her - they are all doing it!!! Whats going on? She meanwhile seems quite content to sit on whatever they can throw at her.

What can i do to make sure that she is left alone and can raise her chicks safely in this situation? I dont want to move her again as she may not settle and then the fertile eggs will go to waste.

Has anyone ever heard of chickens behaving in this way??

Thanks for the help guys.

 :?

[babe]

did you move in the daytime?

[bedifferent]

Nope it was just before bed.

[Jellyhead]

Okay, my chooks are queens of sharing. My friend laughs at me cos she says that no mummy hen knows whos kids she is bringing up :shock: they all have their favourite places to lay so when one goes broody its bound to be where everyone like to lay, therefore broody has eggs added to hers all the time. The only way I have managed to manage this is by seperating the broody into a puppy cage so I know exactly which eggs will hatch and Mummy gets to sit in peace   Hope this helps
Oh and I have moved more than once and it is normally okay, the peace and quiet is more than welcome I think :roll:

[bedifferent]

I have just removed some more eggs from under her, seems quite happy for me to do this. The fertile eggs are marked by the way. I spose i could carry on doing this until the hatch date but what do i do with a broody hen and load of chicks that are in a nest box 5 ft in the air!! :?:

[Jellyhead]

Puppy cages are ever so cheap you know, I put chicken wire round them to stop the chicks falling out. I just put straw on the floor of the coop and sit the cage on it. Takes all stress away from you and henny

[bedifferent]

I might be being dense but what kind of puppy cage do you mean???

[bedifferent]

can i just leave her to sit on the eggs and remove unfertile eggs as we go and then on the day of hatching move her and eggs to broody pen. Will this just stress her out and then put he chicks at risk? I really don't know what to do for the best