Broody hen doesn't like being blocked in

[as110]

Mine aren't bothered either. But if it were my first broody hen, and the only one I'm likely to have, and I bought eggs for her and it's her first full setting--well, I certainly would be avoiding disturbing her.

Yes. This.

I found the nest got dirty every few days because eggs were broken in the nest. Even though they won’t develop, it’s best to not let the nest grow. Some of my incubating eggs didn’t fit under the hen and they were left cold.

Disturbing my broody got her broken but this was the first time I let the hen sit on the eggs in the coop.

I think it’s best to move the hen at the beginning when she starts to sit, not close to hatch time.

 

[Dkbahoo]

Mine aren't bothered either. But if it were my first broody hen, and the only one I'm likely to have, and I bought eggs for her and it's her first full setting--well, I certainly would be avoiding disturbing her.

Totally agree, but in my experience, an easily scared off broody probably won’t actually stay on the eggs for the entire time.

 

[HollyDutton]

OK all, checking back in, LOL. Life has been quite busy. So we hit day 21 yesterday and within half an hour of it actually being a full 21 days, one in the incubator hatched. Another I saw pipped in the bator as well, but nothing recently. Not sure about the state of things out in the coop under broody. We've removed eggs regularly (and carefully/quickly), leaving the marked fertile ones under her. It's just difficult to reach all the way to the back of the coop's nesting box, with the cage in there around it. Decided to just leave a door to the cage ajar so she can get out and MAYBE deter others from coming in. Half-worked. She can get out, but everyone else can get in, as well.

Other hens keep intruding and laying on top of her - 4 of them. I haven't (re)moved any eggs since we went into lockdown in the bator on Friday, so broody hs gone from sitting on the 3 fertile eggs to probably 9 or 10 as of this morning. I can see her standing up frequently and moving eggs around, so I take that as a good sign. I think I will carefully remove some from underneath her today when I get home from work, and if I happen to pick up one of the marked eggs, look to see if there is any sign of pipping (maybe candle quickly). Nothing we've pulled out from under her has been cold, so she's keeping everything covered well.

Fortunately it's rainy today, so humidity is up.

I'm hoping to come home from work and find other(s) hatched or close to it, in the incubator... I get worried that the one in the bator knocking the other eggs around and cheeping is lonely, hah. Also hoping I can slip this one (and any others from the bator) underneath broody, and that the coop eggs are on the same hatch timetable as the bator eggs.

Whew! It was so cool watching that one hatch, with my daughter yesterday early evening