Broody hen got off nest!!!!!!!

[cecilia1959]

I just discovered that my broody hen got off her nest and moved over to another nest. The eggs got very cold, I think she might have been off more than 4 hours. Is there any hope they will hatch now.

 

[YYZ]

Is she back on the eggs?

 

[Bengalcats1]

Yea I think there is a Good chance they will be ok, just make a switch and put the eggs she Was laying on under her

 

[poultrycrazy]

My broody silkie got off her nest and they were cold, it happened three times before she stopped being broody and my little chick hatched just fine

 

[cecilia1959]

Quote:
She went right back on them. The other hens in there keep laying on her nest.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Do you have the eggs she was sitting on marked? We use a permanent marker to put a small dot or "x" on the top of the eggs. That way if another hen lays an egg in there, we'll know. This will prevent you from having eggs partially developed when the others are hatching.

 

[Steph Martin]

That is what I'm putting up with now!! I have a Silkie and four other larger hens. She is on a nest of five eggs and everytime one of the others wants to lay, she gets booted off the nest. I even put a piece of lattice in front of her box and they just knock it off. I tried putting a golf ball in another nest box to entice the others but she (Silkie) ended up on the golf ball and left her eggs to get cold. I think this has happened at least three times. I go out to check around laying time (mid morning) and make sure everything is ok. A friend of mine put a piece of wire mesh in front of her Silkie's nesting box (she was having the same problem) and went out twice a day to take the hen off the eggs. She then walked her a ways from the house and let her run back to the nest. This ensured she had a poop and got a bit to eat and drink. This worked out fine for her. I am thinking of putting mine into a large wire dog crate inside the coop and setting her up in an old covered cat litter box for a nest. This will keep her out of the way and out of the elements and it will keep the others from bothering the chicks when they hatch....I hope this is helpful.

 

[cecilia1959]

Quote:
Well, her eggs are from silkies and polish and are really small. The ones laying are Barred Rocks and EE, very easy to see if someone layed on her.