Broody hen that won't sit on eggs if I move her

et22

In the Brooder
Mar 9, 2016
54
5
44
I have a broody hen that has been sitting on eggs for a little over a week. She is in an egg box that all my other chickens have access to. Before she started sitting on them I tried to move her three times. She freaked out each time and wouldn't sit on the eggs unless they were in that box. She sits on them and doesn't get up much in the egg box but she won't sit on them anywhere else. I finally gave up and just put her back. I have some fertile eggs under her and the rest in my incubator. She or another chicken have broken one and I don't want anymore to break. I dont know how to move her so that she will keep sitting on the eggs. When they are close to hatching I am planning on closing off that part of the coop. And letting her hatch them there. It is raised off the ground so I need to close off the ledge outside of the egg box too. I have read that it is easier to move them once the chicks are hatched. Has anyone tried moving them after, I can't have them in the coop after they hatch I have to move them. I have another small pen with a broody hen hatching eggs in there. Those should be hatching in a few days. Do you think I could move them together because there isn't really any other place I could put them? Does anyone have any suggestions on how to move her now? Or has anyone tried moving them after they hatch and has it worked?


Thanks!
 
I had the same problem with my hen. I moved her 4 times, and each time she got off. The last time I moved her she stayed put.
I went into the coop at night with a plastic storage bin that had straw in it, and a hole cut in the side. I carefully put her eggs in the bin, and gently lifted her and set her on them. I blocked up the hole on the side and put the lid on. I then took her to the kennel I was using, and put the bin with the hole facing the wall. I left the lid on, and didn't let her out until morning. It worked and she stayed put
 
That's a good idea, I think I might try that. I'm just worried that she won't sit on them and the are already on day 8. I don't know if I should try it with the wooden eggs and put the ones under her in the incubator and if she sits put them back under her.

Any ideas?
 
Do you think it will work better if I put the eggs that look like they aren't developing under her and if she sits put the ones that look like are going to hatch there?
 

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