Broody Hen Question

[centrarchid]

Alice,

To prevent derailing, if you suspect broody hen is wormy then treat accordingly. My experience is sleepiness normally typical of heavier worm burdens with birds not able to carry it well. Such impacted birds are generally not able to sustain broodiness. Sleepiness not associated with loss of broodiness just as likely indication of a disease issue. Especially one that affects the ability of bird to keep eyes most such as one involving the upper respiratory system.

 

[PheobeLover21]

My hen has been laying on eggs for 1 week and a few days, I tried moving her eggs to somewhere safer but she abandoned them and so I moved her back and she took them again

. It's my first time with chicks, she's a top hat. Any advice on broody hens

 

[Fancychooklady]

My hen has been laying on eggs for 1 week and a few days, I tried moving her eggs to somewhere safer but she abandoned them and so I moved her back and she took them again

. It's my first time with chicks, she's a top hat. Any advice on broody hens

Some tenacious hens will stay with eggs no matter where you move them to, for yours it might be best to leave her be until she hatches them out. If you are concerned about her safety perhaps you could pop a crate over her and leave some water and food. I have an old wire parrot cage with no bottom , comes in handy for this sort of situation . If you are mainly concerned about the chicks , you will just have to be vigilant and have a cage set up to move her and the chicks into.

 

[PheobeLover21]

Some tenacious hens will stay with eggs no matter where you move them to, for yours it might be best to leave her be until she hatches them out. If you are concerned about her safety perhaps you could pop a crate over her and leave some water and food. I have an old wire parrot cage with no bottom , comes in handy for this sort of situation . If you are mainly concerned about the chicks , you will just have to be vigilant and have a cage set up to move her and the chicks into.

Tha k you I appreciate it but the nesting boxes are above ground, so I wa a thinking that f moving her but not until it's a few days till they hatch

 

[Fancychooklady]

Tha k you I appreciate it but the nesting boxes are above ground, so I wa a thinking that f moving her but not until it's a few days till they hatch

My boxes are up high too, I block it off once they start hatching and then once they have all hatched I relocate them.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Just wondering ,do any other hens have access to the nest box?

 

[PheobeLover21]

Just wondering ,do any other hens have access to the nest box?

Yes we have 4 nesting boxes for 8 hens but I'm worries about if when they do hatch I don't want the babies falling out.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Yes we have 4 nesting boxes for 8 hens but I'm worries about if when they do hatch I don't want the babies falling out.

it is best to block the nest that she is in off. If you don't the others will lay fresh eggs in behind her and then your hatch date is staggered and unpredictable .
I also have found that if the other hens get in bullying her you usually end up with cracked or broken eggs.
Is there any way that you could pop a milk crate or something over that nest? Has to be something that can't fall on her.
The other option is to move her after dark. Bedding and all by sliding a board under her and gently placing her in a broody box.

 

[PheobeLover21]

Ok thanks. Is there a certain time the chicks with hatch

 

[Fancychooklady]

Ok thanks. Is there a certain time the chicks with hatch

21 days is the incubation period, give or take a day or so. If the eggs are all set at the same they will usually hatch within a 24 hour period of each other.

This article is a good one to use as a reference.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/03/baby-chick-basics-what-you-need-to-know.html