Broody hen switched nests

[CigarMan]

A little background on my 31 hens and 3 roosters, one rooster has been around for quite some time, so I know he knows what he is doing, and the other two are figuring it out. This is their first egg-laying season, as I picked them up on 9/8/22, and were raised without a heat lamp in the chicken coop. I did make a small box for them to huddle under and stay warm, we had zero fatality on our chicks. I have a hen that is broody, and I am excited. Today is day 5 of me noticing her sitting on the same clutch of 12 eggs, but I noticed she switched nests and has been off those eggs long enough for them to be cold. We do everything with our animals as if we were living without electricity, so we don't have an incubator to fall back on. Are they a loss? Any advice will help, I most likely need to build a separate place for my broody girls.

 

[sourland]

It all depends upon how cold they got and how long she was off them. Realistically, this time of year, they are probably still viable. I'd get her back on them immediately and candle in several days. Good luck.

 

[MountainWoman73]

A first-time broody I had also moved around a lot. She was off her eggs a lot in the beginning, or sitting in the wrong nest every time I checked on her. Those first eggs all failed. She was later able to hatch successfully on her second attempt. I think you should give her fakes, wait to see if she settles down and is consistently on the nest, and then give her new eggs. If you want to keep going with these eggs, make sure you gather early and several times a day so she doesn't have another nest with eggs to switch to. And accept that she might just be bad at it because it's her first time.

 

[CigarMan]

Thanks for the input, as this is my first rodeo, I did trash the eggs as she was off the eggs for about 6 to 10 hrs when I noticed and started paying attention. I do have some fake eggs so I will start using them.

Thanks

 

[CigarMan]

Is there something I can use to mark her head feathers so I don't disturb her too much?

 

[Smo1]

I am having the same issue with a broody switching nests. She is middle to low in our pecking order; I think she leaves the box when other hens try to add to her clutch. Should I separate her & "her" eggs (actually eggs from my neighbor as we dont have a roo)?