Broody abandon 1st nest, but sitting on another

[Noelle Micka]

Hello All! I wanted to stop in here because I’m fairly new to broody hens (I’ve had one) and one of my ameraucana hens went broody just before memorial weekend. She went broody, fairly obvious. We added some eggs under her and let her sit. She was doing well, not aggressive, she let me pick her up and take her to water/ food. She would click around and go right back to her nest. Day 7, 2 of our other hens started messing with her in her nest box, so we locked them out and prepped our smaller coop with fresh bedding and planned a move. That night, we moved her and all her eggs to a smaller coop, all by herself. We also cansled the eggs, and there was development. When we set her on her eggs she got up, ate, drank, and within about 5 mins she went back to the eggs to sit. I thought all was well. In the morning, I checked on her to see her up again. The eggs were cold, and She seemed pretty done. After about 30 mins of seeing her not sit, I took her back to the flock. To my surprise, she ran straight back to her original nesting spot, where there was an egg, and sat on it…so I went in the house and grabbed about 8 eggs (fertilized) and placed them in the box with her. She immediately started pushing the eggs under her with her beak and settling in to the new eggs. It’s now been 3 days since and she’s still happily sitting.

This whole process has me confused. I assume the move caused the abandonment of the first clutch. Now that she’s on new eggs, will she sit 21 days? Should I just let nature take its course? I’m so anxious for these babies to hatch!! Has anyone had this happen before? I would love feedback!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Lots of broody hens refuse to be moved. I personally haven't had much luck moving them successfully. Seems they decide where they feel safe and that's it. It's hard to say for sure if your hen will continue to set or not.

Most will set for 2 months, and even longer until they become depleted enough to break. So if your hen is in good condition, and weight she should continue. Not all hens want to be mothers. Some just like setting, so always have a back up plan if mom doesn't want them.

 

[Mrs. K]

yep, been there, absolutely positive that where I thought she should set was a better place...did just like yours, seemed fine there, left that place, and went back to her
'original spot'.

Now, I don't bother them, maybe once or twice a week, if I have not had a chance to peek at the eggs to pull out strays. But I quit worrying about her eating - food is available, I quit worrying about the others. She handled it.

I used to worry about when they hatched, and would try and lock the layers out...don't even worry about that either. And don't worry about her getting them down from the nest, she will do that too.

All I do, is make sure the coop floor has fresh bedding near hatch time. I tried making a nest on the floor that I thought was nice, yeah nothing doing. All of my broodies with in 12 hours, move the lived chicks out of the dirty eggshell filled nest to the floor, and creates a nest.

Mrs K

 

[Banana01]

Hens dont really remember and often sit on the wrong eggs by mistake. You can keep moving her back to her eggs until she gets it. But she may still keep going to the old nest by mistake the first couple times she leaves to stretch out. Whenever I move a broody hen and eggs, I have to monitor her for several days and replace her to her own eggs.

And if the old nest has other eggs on it, she may not ever want to move it is confusing to them.

 

[Noelle Micka]

yep, been there, absolutely positive that where I thought she should set was a better place...did just like yours, seemed fine there, left that place, and went back to her
'original spot'.

Now, I don't bother them, maybe once or twice a week, if I have not had a chance to peek at the eggs to pull out strays. But I quit worrying about her eating - food is available, I quit worrying about the others. She handled it.

I used to worry about when they hatched, and would try and lock the layers out...don't even worry about that either. And don't worry about her getting them down from the nest, she will do that too.

All I do, is make sure the coop floor has fresh bedding near hatch time. I tried making a nest on the floor that I thought was nice, yeah nothing doing. All of my broodies with in 12 hours, move the lived chicks out of the dirty eggshell filled nest to the floor, and creates a nest.

Mrs K

 

[Noelle Micka]

This is exactly how I feel! I keep worrying about all the details…but I know shell figure it out! Good call on changing the floor bedding, I’ll do that!!

 

[Noelle Micka]

Hens dont really remember and often sit on the wrong eggs by mistake. You can keep moving her back to her eggs until she gets it. But she may still keep going to the old nest by mistake the first couple times she leaves to stretch out. Whenever I move a broody hen and eggs, I have to monitor her for several days and replace her to her own eggs.

And if the old nest has other eggs on it, she may not ever want to move it is confusing to them.

Good info! I’ll definitely keep that in mind!

 

[aart]

When I have a broody and want her to hatch I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

I remove barrier about one week after hatch. The chicks are usually safe it's the broody who has to 'fight' her way back into the pecking order...which can be quick or take a few days.

Lots of space helps for re-integration.

 

[Mrs. K]

after the hatch AArt - do you clean out the old nest, and then put her back in there?

 

[aart]

after the hatch AArt - do you clean out the old nest, and then put her back in there?

No, not usually....
....only if broody pooped in there or an egg broke or there's a pest infestation.
Then it's changed out asap.