moved broody and she's off the eggs!

[claraserena]

I need help ASAP. My broody has been sitting on eggs for 12 days. She was in a protected area in the chicken house that was fine for sitting but not for hatching or caring for chicks. I just moved her into a small dog house sized house with a cover pen outside of it—perfect for hatching and chicks. I moved her eggs into the new house and fixed up pine shavings and carried her out (she is very sweet about it). But understandably she’s disoriented and is just ignoring the eggs. She’s just outside the house, preening, all puffed up. She’s been off the eggs about 25 minutes. Should I give her some more time to go in there and sit or move the eggs and her back into to spot in the chicken house right now? This is the second time she has been broody—the first time I had to move her into he house because it was so cold out. She just sat right on the eggs as if nothing had happened. How long can these eggs stay viable while she is off them?

 

[justusnak]

Give her time...maybe she is just stretching her legs a bit, now that she can safely! Watch her...if she does not get back on them before dark...I would PUT her on the nest, and lock her down. Just for the night. I hope she is just stretching and goes back on the nest for you....let us know!

 

[claraserena]

Well right after that post I looked out and saw her outside the house, preening/stretching. I went by the eggs and tapped them to get her to notice. She actually walked over them and I thought for sure that would trigger something but no. The eggs were no longer warm to the touch. So I moved them back into her spot in the house and moved her and she sat right on them and is there now. Maybe I should have done this move earlier but the house she is moving into was occupied by her last brood of 5 (hatched March 15)--they've just moved to the big house. I could arrange things in the big house to try to protect her and the chicks when they hatch and then move them all to the house. Or I could try to move her and the eggs again in a day or two--any ideas on how to make her take to a nice little single family dwelling!? And how long can the eggs keep alive without her on them?

 

[Freebie]

I have read here that some do it at night, and it works great. I would give that a try.

 

[claraserena]

We moved her successfully tonight. --it was dark. She didn't make a peep (no pun intended!)

 

[Critter Crazy]

Quote:
Glad it worked for you! Yes, It is usually best to move chickens at night.