How can a broody hen be separated from others without going off the brood?
Broody hens are always fickle creatures. It is always best to remove the OTHER chooks away from the broody one so as to not disturb her at all. Most broodies will stop sitting if they are moved. It’s just their way. Once the eggs have been started to incubate, they will not last long once they go cold. If a hen is disturbed and goes off the brood don’t worry, you will get another chance to hatch chicks, just give her time to lay another clutch and remember not to disturb her next time. When a hen goes broody, nearly every other hen in the place will decide to lay their eggs in her nest box too. One way to minimise others laying in with her is to build a series of nest boxes which can be isolated from each other if the need arises. If you really HAVE to move the hen, do it at night and move the entire nest box. Try to face the box in the same direction as it was previously in a pen that is similar in size to the old one. The trick is to get her to believe the others left her… not the
