Broody hen switching nests?

[RuralLivingFarmette]

I have several hens that have suddenly gone broody. I offer food everyday and keep eye on everyone a few times a day. Yesterday I noticed my bantam hen has changed nests and the eggs she' been sitting on for 2 weeks were cool and uncovered. I placed her back in her nest but concerned the eggs are a complete loss now. She must have been off the nest for a few hours. I'm guessing another hen hopped in her nest to lay an egg while she was gone and she just took up nextdoor.
Do I leave the eggs for a week and see what happens or call it a loss and throw the eggs out?

 

[happyfrenchman]

I have four hens right now that are broody.... they swap back and forth, other chickens lay in their nests.... it is an impossible situation to brood. I just collect all the eggs. Some of the hens are better at persuading the other hens to lay in their box... To use a broody, you have to separate them or you will experience exactly what you are describing.

 

[aart]

I have several hens that have suddenly gone broody. I offer food everyday and keep eye on everyone a few times a day. Yesterday I noticed my bantam hen has changed nests and the eggs she' been sitting on for 2 weeks were cool and uncovered. I placed her back in her nest but concerned the eggs are a complete loss now. She must have been off the nest for a few hours. I'm guessing another hen hopped in her nest to lay an egg while she was gone and she just took up nextdoor.
Do I leave the eggs for a week and see what happens or call it a loss and throw the eggs out?

Probably not....unless you live where it's cold right now.
I hope you have the hatching eggs marked so you can daily remove newly laid eggs.
Have you done any candling?
Having broodies hatch for you can be convenient but still takes some managing.
I like to separate broodies from flock with wire wall, simplifies things in the long run.
ETA: I move broodies to separate area with fake eggs, after they settle back in then I give fresh fertile eggs and start the countdown.

 

[MaryZoe]

My broodies often switch nests. They're not very clever that way, and not fussy as to what they'll sit on (including nothing at all, like one I have now who is sharing a nesting box with another broody--she ends up perched on the edge of the box!).

As mentioned above, it is imperative that you mark the eggs you want mama to hatch and check under your broody each night for new, unmarked eggs. Otherwise you'll have a terribly staggered hatch and mama will never be able to get up and take care of all her littles.

The other option is to move mama and the eggs to a place where she only has one nest option and the other hens cannot lay in her nest. Just be sure that mama likes her new nest. I tried that once and mom decided to create another nest a foot or two away from where I had put her eggs. She was off her eggs all night long. Fortunately I live in Florida, so it was a mild night and the eggs survived a night without their mom brooding them. Whew.

Best of luck and keep us posted!

 

[RuralLivingFarmette]

Thank you!
I'm expecting hatching by this weekend. I'v used the roping off and marking eggs suggestions with the two hens that have decided to suddenly join the broody ranks and hopefully I'll have some chicks soon. I have chicks expected every week for the next 3 weeks so I will update with my outcome!

 

[RuralLivingFarmette]

Update. No chicks yet
I'll give it a few more days. Some of the eggs are definitely heavy and I THINK I can hear the chicks inside.

 

[Crs1]

I have a broody who just hatched 3eggs that I bought because I didn’t have a rooster. Well now I have a rooster and a leghorn that has been broody for two weeks. I’ve had the rooster for 2days but he is doing his job so I’ve decided to let the leghorn hatch some eggs, If they are fertile. I will candle in a week and make sure i hope I can tell if they are viable