[becky160982]

My chickens are driving me mad....We received four "normal" brown egg laying chickens well over a month ago now. To begin with they were great - they each laid an egg a day - it was fab. One of the choocks has become broody and only wants to sit on eggs so I thought I would give her some fertile eggs to hatch....this is when the problems began!
Firstly the broody hen chose to sit on the nest where the eggs were normally laid. This resulted in broken eggs and the broody hen still sat on fertile and non-fertile eggs. I then moved the broody hen (along with fertile eggs) to the other end of the hen house to prevent the other chicks interfeering with her. Now she returns to the old next sometimes and still the other chickens are laying in the broody chickens nest. Today I found an egg (fertile) that appeared to be purposely eaten....
Any suggestions?

[too many girls]

 make a broody box and seperate her from the others!

[joyfull]

Idealy she needs her own broody pen, so that she can stay sat on her own eggs and the others can still lay.Don't know about the egg being eaten sorry.

[becky160982]

I was trying to avoid the separate box idea as we do not have any space really.....but if that is the only way I shall have a look into what we can do!

[too many girls]

Idealy she needs her own broody pen,

thats what i said

[joyfull]

I know I typed it at the same time as you 

[Vember]

They really need to be kept away from the older hens even when they hatch as they may attack the chicks

[too many girls]

I know I typed it at the same time as you 

you know when you post a reply and it say's "someone has posted you may want to review your post" do you? i don't and it's got me in lots of trouble

[Aunt Sally]

If you don't have the space to cater for a broody hen - giving her a nice warm broody box and some run space for the chicks if and when they hatch - then it is better to try to break the broody or just let her sit on nothing untill she gives up.

[becky160982]

So "a broody box" how big does it have to be? Does she have to have food and water? Will the fertile eggs that she has half sat on, and half let get stone cold, will they still hatch or should i get some new ones?

[Aunt Sally]

Did you do any research before embarking on hatching these tiny creatures becky ?

[too many girls]

Does she have to have food and water?

they generally die quite quickly without!

[becky160982]

To be honest...no! I researched looking after hens, I didn't expect to get a broody one and thought it would simple! Silly me! Father-in-law used to have chickens and made it all sound so easy! I think he lied!

[too many girls]

shift the broody somewhere quiet and safe and try candling the eggs, then you'll know if they are viable or not!

[becky160982]

Fab - thank-you