Broody hen question?

[SportChick]

I have a broody hen. My shipped eggs come tomorrow. She's currently sitting on unfertilized eggs. I have 2 questions:

1). She doesnt get up to eat and drink much and it is August in the South so it's getting hot. We offer her water frequently on the nest but she mostly ignores it. She does get up once a day presumably to eat and drink a little. Does their metablism change so they can do this for 3 weeks?

2). I don't have a big flock and just have a double wide egg box which she is sitting in which is frustrating the other hens because she's so mean! I made a temporary nesting box and moved her "blank" eggs and she wouldn't sit on it and just walked around the yard in a huff. Any suggestions as to how to convince her to move to a temporary nest?

 

[suebee]

In my experience moving a hen and eggs is difficult. Most will not sit in a new place even if you screened them in. This can result in damaged eggs from her trying to get back to her original spot. I've had the best broodies sit on nothing rather than being moved off their original nest. Sometimes they even come out of broodiness. I would keep her there and just create a few new nest boxes somewhere else for the others to lay eggs in. I wouldn't worry too much about her not eating or drinking. I normally keep food and water in the nest box up until day 19 and then put marbles in the waterer so newly hatched chicks don't drown and place starter crumbles on a paper towel. Once she starts sitting on the shipped eggs I wouldn't lift her out of the nest. She may have eggs tucked between her legs and lifting her could damage them. She will eat and drink when she wants to.

 

[SportChick]

Thanks. That helps a lot.

 

[roostersandhens]

In my experience moving a hen and eggs is difficult. Most will not sit in a new place even if you screened them in. This can result in damaged eggs from her trying to get back to her original spot. I've had the best broodies sit on nothing rather than being moved off their original nest. Sometimes they even come out of broodiness. I would keep her there and just create a few new nest boxes somewhere else for the others to lay eggs in. I wouldn't worry too much about her not eating or drinking. I normally keep food and water in the nest box up until day 19 and then put marbles in the waterer so newly hatched chicks don't drown and place starter crumbles on a paper towel. Once she starts sitting on the shipped eggs I wouldn't lift her out of the nest. She may have eggs tucked between her legs and lifting her could damage them. She will eat and drink when she wants to.

X2

 

[TheRedStarGirl]

What if she has started sitting in a terrible place like in an old sideways garbage can in a junk pile? I can't let her stay there. Honestly I didn't know she could even get to that spot it's not a good place and is ready for the dumpster delivery (we had a flooded basment) I feel bad. I have never had a broody chicken before. What do I do? How do I move her so she still has her chicks?

 

[suebee]

Well the safety of your broody is your first priority. How many days has she been in the sideways garbage can? When moving a broody hen with eggs always anticipate the possibility that she will not sit in the new location. If she's been sitting for more than a few days the eggs are now living embryo's which means you'll either need a back up broody hen or incubator if she's not comfortable in the new safer spot.

She may surprise you and just settle in...miracles do happen!

 

[bobbi-j]

What if she has started sitting in a terrible place like in an old sideways garbage can in a junk pile? I can't let her stay there. Honestly I didn't know she could even get to that spot it's not a good place and is ready for the dumpster delivery (we had a flooded basment)

I feel bad. I have never had a broody chicken before. What do I do? How do I move her so she still has her chicks?

If you have to move her, you may have more success if you do so at night.

 

[Dawns Funy Farm]

is there any way to move her and the whole can carefully to a safer place i have done this before just move the nest and all

 

[suebee]

If she will let you, I would carefully take each egg out and replace them with a couple "fresh" eggs before you move her. Once she's settled switch the developed eggs back. When handling developed eggs I place them in a container with a bath towel so there are several divots for each egg to cradle into. I'd love to see video of her in the trash can being moved .

 

[TheRedStarGirl]

Okay everyone, so I could not leave her in the garbage can because it had yard waste and dirt and some trash in it. So I decided it was best to move her. I have a loft in my garage that is warm and secluded. I moved her into a large dog crate and placed food and water inside. The only way to move her was to hood her with a sock because she was really "bittey" even though it was night. She needed a little encouragement to continue sitting (I stuffed them under her when she settled down). She is still sitting on them I have no idea how long this has been going on but I put a bunch more fertile eggs under her when I moved her She has since rejected 2 but has kept the rest. I am so excited and I cant wait for babies!!!

The only question I have is should I leave the crate door open? It is on an upper floor and I am afraid she will try to go down stairs and fall or take the babies down the stairs when it is time to show them the world and they get hurt should I move the crate now or after they have hatched?