Brooding hen leaves nest!

[States family]

hi everyone! I'm new to this site and I'm also about 3-4 months new to raising chickens. In the beginning we really didn't want baby chicks but 2 of our ladies became broody. A RIR mix and a silky. They both found their ways under the shed where we cannot reach them so wee kind of have no choice,I'm not sure how long they have been there but my guess was around 5 days. I started to water and feed them both because they weren't leaving the nest at all. But I only did this once a day. Today I went to feed them and water again and the RIR was accepting but the silky was gone and had left all of her eggs behind , about 4, I candled them and they all had the blood vessels but were stone cold, so I am guessing they were no good. She moved her nest and is now under a different part of the shed. Now I'm a little heartbroken she would just leave them. But am questioning why she would? And should I keep hope because she is still brooding under the shed just in a different spot? Any suggestions on what I can do to prevent her from brooding another set of eggs for days and just abandoning them?

 

[iwiw60]

I'd block off the base of your coop first off. Without a pic of your coop it's hard to make suggestions. But if the 'crawl space' under your coop is so small that you can't get in there to get to them, then I would definitely block it all off. That alone will save headaches down the road. Best of luck to you!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You can't but you can put the first set of eggs under her in the new nest and hope for the best. In the first 10 days the eggs can go cold and still be viable.

First time broodies are unreliable.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'd block off the base of your coop first off. Without a pic of your coop it's hard to make suggestions. But if the 'crawl space' under your coop is so small that you can't get in there to get to them, then I would definitely block it all off. That alone will save headaches down the road. Best of luck to you!

I have some like that which are too small for me to crawl under. However, a rake or push broom will bring them out and a hoe will roll eggs out.

 

[States family]

thanks everyone! The first eggs I already pitched because I didn't know what to do after they went cold, if she does this again we will probably just pull her out and block it off. We plan on blocking off the entrance under the coop after the chicks hatch or IF they hatch I really hope they do it right. Do you think she may have moved her nest because I RIR made one right next to her? Maybe she felt bothered? And the eggs under her were not her own, the previous owner said she has a habit of stealing other chickens eggs, could this be a cause for her to leave too? If they're still sitting on them I may try to move theist to block off the entrance but I'm so afraid it'll break the bloodiness!

 

[States family]

Broodiness was supposed to be above not bloodiness

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Chickens don't care who laid the eggs, they'll sit on anything and sometimes share community nests.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have some like that which are too small for me to crawl under. However, a rake or push broom will bring them out and a hoe will roll eggs out.

A large serving spoon clamped or taped to a long stick works better than garden tools to retrieve eggs from under floors and other tight places..

 

[States family]

hey everyone I want to thank you for all the help! I just finished moving both of them, they were very upset but I'm so glad I moved them cause it seems when they were under there they would lay and just keep moving as the pile got bigger. I found probably nearly 20 eggs I was totally shocked ! But I got them all out using my little boys plastic shovel lol! They crowed and growled for a while after removing them but I put them In a Large dog crate with 2 nesting boxes and divided up the cage so they wouldn't bug each other. It seems after about ten minutes they both went back to brooding both nests. So I'm VERY please and I blocked off the previous holes with chicken wire! Thanks everyone! If we get chicks maybe I'll post them!!

 

[iwiw60]

hey everyone I want to thank you for all the help! I just finished moving both of them, they were very upset but I'm so glad I moved them cause it seems when they were under there they would lay and just keep moving as the pile got bigger. I found probably nearly 20 eggs I was totally shocked ! But I got them all out using my little boys plastic shovel lol! They crowed and growled for a while after removing them but I put them In a Large dog crate with 2 nesting boxes and divided up the cage so they wouldn't bug each other. It seems after about ten minutes they both went back to brooding both nests. So I'm VERY please and I blocked off the previous holes with chicken wire! Thanks everyone! If we get chicks maybe I'll post them!!

GREAT news! A relief for you I'm sure!