Broody hen problem?

[Y master]

Hi guys. I put five eggs under my broody hen and she has been sitting on them and I haven't caught her off them once .Tommorow is hatch day. I had her in a small coop in the big coop so when her chicks hatch she can look after them fenced off. When I came to check on her today she was waiting at the door of the smaller coop not sitting on her eggs and her eggs were cold. She has food and water inside this coop but she just wanted to get out. I tried to put her back on the eggs but it didn't work so I opened the door to let her out and hoped she would get back on them. I waited for a bit but she just joined the flock outside and didn't get back on them so I decided to put them in my incubator. She didn't get back on her nest all day and three of the eggs have pipped in the incubator. I just went to check on her and she was in her nest but just standing up. I'm not sure if I should put the eggs back under her? She had abandoned her nest for a whole day. Thoughts?

 

[Rose Quartz]

Hi guys. I put five eggs under my broody hen and she has been sitting on them and I haven't caught her off them once .Tommorow is hatch day. I had her in a small coop in the big coop so when her chicks hatch she can look after them fenced off. When I came to check on her today she was waiting at the door of the smaller coop not sitting on her eggs and her eggs were cold. She has food and water inside this coop but she just wanted to get out. I tried to put her back on the eggs but it didn't work so I opened the door to let her out and hoped she would get back on them. I waited for a bit but she just joined the flock outside and didn't get back on them so I decided to put them in my incubator. She didn't get back on her nest all day and three of the eggs have pipped in the incubator. I just went to check on her and she was in her nest but just standing up. I'm not sure if I should put the eggs back under her? She had abandoned her nest for a whole day. Thoughts?

I'd give her a room temp egg and see if she'll settle down on it, if she does then it's up to you if you want to try moving the unpipped eggs under her.

 

[Y master]

I'd give her a room temp egg and see if she'll settle down on it, if she does then it's up to you if you want to try moving the unpipped eggs under her.

Could I wait till they all hatch and put the chicks under her?

 

[Shadrach]

Hi guys. I put five eggs under my broody hen and she has been sitting on them and I haven't caught her off them once .Tommorow is hatch day. I had her in a small coop in the big coop so when her chicks hatch she can look after them fenced off. When I came to check on her today she was waiting at the door of the smaller coop not sitting on her eggs and her eggs were cold. She has food and water inside this coop but she just wanted to get out. I tried to put her back on the eggs but it didn't work so I opened the door to let her out and hoped she would get back on them. I waited for a bit but she just joined the flock outside and didn't get back on them so I decided to put them in my incubator. She didn't get back on her nest all day and three of the eggs have pipped in the incubator. I just went to check on her and she was in her nest but just standing up. I'm not sure if I should put the eggs back under her? She had abandoned her nest for a whole day. Thoughts?

A sitting hens natural instinct is to get off her eggs once a day to eat, drink, poop and bath. By locking them in a broody coop they can't carry out these activities and have to poop in the nest, can't bath and can't exercise. A dirty nest, not just from poop but maybe an accumulation of parasites in the bedding, can be enough to make a hen abandon the clutch. I've found it best to allow the hen freedom of movement which includes access to the outside.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Could I wait till they all hatch and put the chicks under her?

Yeah, I'd do it at night though, within the first day or 2 of them being hatched.

 

[Y master]

She's stopped being broody and sitting on her nest altogether, but I have another broody hen who I'll sneak the chicks under tommorow night maybe. Thanks for all the help guys and next time I'll make sure to not lock her in a small coop.

 

[aart]

By locking them in a broody coop they can't carry out these activities and have to poop in the nest, can't bath and can't exercise.

Not if there's enough space in the broody coop/crate outside of the nest.....many have done so.

 

[Y master]

I snuck four chicks (once they hatched in my incubator) under another broody hen and she is now looking after them. Thanks for all the help!