broody hen i need help please

[zachbelle]

i have a broody hen who has been sitting on her eggs for about 7-9 days steadily now im not sure of the exact amount of days because she had been practicing for a good week before this and id take the eggs from her abandoned nest then finally she sat and stayed. she started w twelve eggs and is up to 21 now! (i counted them at feedig time which is he only time she gets down) i candled one today and there is defdinatley the spider like veins so i know atleast some of them are developing...now my question is shes in with ten other hens and a rooster but i do not dare to move her nest as im afraid she will abandon it. i do clean up around it and give her fresh hay when she gets down to eat as the other chickens are messing around her. is it safe to let her hatch them here? her nest is up high and i do plan to put some fine screen around it to keep the chicks from falling and was thinking when she hatched them to move mom and chicks to theyre own pen but then im afraid of intergrating them back in with the other birds...any thoughts or advice?

 

[iwiw60]

Well, if it were me since you say her nest is "high" up...I'd move her....but only at night when all things have settled down for the evening. If you have a sick pen or a dog crate place it where you want her to be (so she can still see the "goings-on" around her. (note: better wear gloves in case she gets nasty) Pick up the entire nest, bedding and all and put it in the new area. Trust me, that broody will be right there and if she doesn't go and sit back on them put her there. You also mentioned that the nest is up to 21+ eggs? Are other hens crowding in on her and laying eggs with hers? That should stop... Anyways, good luck and keep us informed!

 

[zachbelle]

yeah i would imagine the other hens are laying in or near her nest and she may be pulling them in to hers im not sure. she seems to.be covering them all ok as they were all warm to the touch this morning but i.dont want her to get overwhelmed and have too many. if i put her in a dog crate or seperate pen at what point do i put them back in with the other chickens? i dont want the babys to get hurt or killed but ive also read that intergrating.new chickens even when theyre older can cause issues. i wasnt really expecting for this to happen but i jist figure sinces shes been pretty determined to sit these past few weeks i would let nature take its course and let her enjoy.motherhood

 

[iwiw60]

I would say leave your broody and her eggs segregated. After they hatch (hopefully so!) trust me...that broody will take care of ANYthing that tries to get close to them. And ironically the baby chicks instinctively know what mommy's "saying" to them...like "get the heck back here!" It's a chicken thing....if you can get that broody of yours to successfully hatch her clutch of eggs...you have a winner in that hen! Just keep fresh water and feed close by for your broody and all should be well...

 

[zachbelle]

ok thank you so much!!

 

[zachbelle]

another quick question....i made her her own area with chicken wire so she can see her surroundings she completely secluded at first she didnt like it and tried getting thru the wire then settled down and sat on her nest. shes been in it two days now she has food and water but this morning i went out shes sitting on her nest but theres one egg off to sthe side that she pecked open and ate the yolk...any idea why she would do this?

 

[iwiw60]

Maybe this page will give you more insight:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/08/caring-for-broody-hens-facilitating-egg.html

About half-way down the page is a section called "The Quitter & The Homicidal Hen" ... hope this info helps...keep us up-to-date!