broody hen sitting outside with no protection.grrrrrrrrrrr

[justtoni44]

I have been hoping for one of my hens would go broody.
One did and put her nest right beside the house................She is in grass about 18 inches high and almost impossible to see but I am terrified something will get to her....tons of coyotes, raccons and skunks
around us. Of course her eggs are on the ground, so I cannot pick a nest up and move it.
I am just trying to think of the best thing to do.I realize that if I move her she may change her mind about sitting....but if I don't, she may end up someones dinner.
Thought about breaking out the sleeping bag and joining her.but 21 nights is a long time......

Any ideas anyone?
Thanks

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Cant really help other to say I having having the same problem with a duck sitting on eggs. She decided to hide her nest under my sons car (hes in the army so it doesnt move) So far so good here but I have a great pyrenese out in the yard to help keep predators away. She will be the second duck this month to hatch under there so we will see. Could yu maybe build a 3 sided cage that you could put over her or possibly some kind of crate that you could use at night. Good luck hopefully some else will come along and give you some ideas Micki

 

[Swampwood]

Build a cage around her

 

[justtoni44]

Thank you

 

[stuckinthecity]

Yeah I'd second that... You don't want to loose on of your good broody hens. get some heavy 4x4s and put them around her, then build a frame out of something lighter, like 2x4s ad attatch some heav duty small wire. You want the bottom to be heavy so that they can't move the pen. (since you can't put a bottom on it)

 

[Sunny Side Up]

There are a lot of things you could use to make a barricade around & over her. I recommend doing your work around her after dark so she's less likely to get discouraged or spooked off the project. Give her enough room to stretch her legs each day & poop, and place food & water in there for her. Make sure she's far enough away from the sides of the barricade so a predator cannot stick its paws through and grab her. Make it extra shady for the first couple of days at least, to encourage her to stay on the nest there. Let us know how she does there!