Broody hen needs to be moved

[fehrlj]

I have a broody hen sitting on 10 eggs in the main coop. It is roughly day 14 right now and I don't know how to move her to the small coop without her abandoning the nest. I tried yesterday and she was actually pretty calm. But when I checked on her a few minutes later, she was pacing back and forth in the run and didn't stay on the eggs. I returned the eggs to the original nest and let her out. She ran frantically back to the original spot in the big coop.
I know I can try to move her at night, but will it really be that much of a difference for her? Advice?
Also, how long will it take for me to figure out if she will care for the hatched chicks?

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

Why is it you want to move her?

Hens hatch their eggs in coops all the time. If it's too high for them, you can make a hutch of sorts on the floor for them by tipping a cardboard or wooden box sideways. The mother hen will keep the others away. Usually, the rooster(s) help too.

Mother hens instinctively take care of their chicks. I would change the feed in the feeder to chick crumbles. The adults can have that too. Make sure the waterer is shallow so they can't drown in it. You can put rocks or marbles in it for their first week or so.

 

[McChooky]

I have a broody hen sitting on 10 eggs in the main coop. It is roughly day 14 right now and I don't know how to move her to the small coop without her abandoning the nest. I tried yesterday and she was actually pretty calm. But when I checked on her a few minutes later, she was pacing back and forth in the run and didn't stay on the eggs. I returned the eggs to the original nest and let her out. She ran frantically back to the original spot in the big coop.
I know I can try to move her at night, but will it really be that much of a difference for her? Advice?
Also, how long will it take for me to figure out if she will care for the hatched chicks?

Unless absolutely necessary I believe I would let them hatch where they are rather than risk moving her again.If she abandons the nest you'll need an incubator to finish them

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If you absolutely must move your broody, my advice is to do it at night after the chicks hatch. (This worked for us.) Move everything: mother, chicks, nesting material. You'll need a helper. Move everything all at once. If you can't do that, just leave her alone. If the nest is high, the babies may fall or jump out but don't worry, they'll survive and mama will likely re-assemble them into a spot on the floor in a corner of the coop and they'll be fine. Mama hens are very protective. Good luck and try not to worry.

 

[Altairsky]

Broody hens are tied to the nest, not to the eggs. It's ok to move a broody if it's an early stage and she's sitting on fake eggs so she has all the time she needs to either adapt to a new nest or break.
After she starts incubating she needs to stay in the same nest until the chicks hatch and all chicks are able to walk.
When chicks can walk, usually after 24 hours after hatch, she can be moved.

 

[AshVau22]

I'd do your best to keep her in the coop, 14 days in. Moving her now would only cause more issues and a lot of stress to her. Every hen will react differently to being moved. For the best success with moving it's always best to do it early on. Is there a reason you want her moved?