Broody hen, what to do?

[lottyloo]

I have a japanese bantam sitting on some eggs outside the coop, i thought she wazs missing at first as i couldnt find her for 2 days but she come out this morning and dissapeard again so i searched everywhere and eventually found her. She is my first broody hen so im a bit unsure what to do...

First of all she is OUTSIDE! i dont really want to move her i would rather build something around her, but i think it would be best to get her in the store room where i kept my chicks before they joined the flock.
If i was to move her, how should i do it? should i move her first and then the eggs? will the eggs be ok if i move them?
I am thinking about moving the eggs when she is out in the morning getting something to eat and drink, but then i will need to try and get her into the shed where the eggs are(she is not very tame) so thats why i think it will be easier to leave her where she is and make some sort of run around her.

What do you think, its my first experience with a broody hen.

-Lotty

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I have had the best luck with moving mom and eggs at night, in the dark. Get your spot prepared ahead of time with a "nest", water and food. I use a large wire dog crate. Don't separate her from the eggs... place them in a bowl, basket, etc. so you can carry her and her eggs at the same time... place eggs in the "nest" and gently sit her on them... she should be able to feel them on her tummy... if she feels them she should relax back on the them. Good luck with the move.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know your set-up or why you want to move her. I'd guess you are concerned about predators, but that is a guess. Could be you are worried about weather or something else.

You can build a shelter around her, maybe just locking her up safely at night and let her do her thing during the day.

You can try to move her. If you do, I'd suggest building a nest for her that you can lock her into so she has enough room to set on the nest and no more. Make it pretty dark. That seems to calm them. Move her and the eggs at night after whe is asleep with as little light and commotion as you can manage. Leave her locked on the nest all that night, all day the next day, then all night the following night. Then let her have some food and water and room to come off the nest and poop, but leave her locked in the area so she cannot go back to her other nest. That storeroom sounds like it might work.

There is still a risk she will not accept the move and will refuse to set on the eggs. There is no guarantee in this but I think you have a fairly good chance of being successful. Good luck!

 

[GwenDellAnno]

I moved my broody into the wire dog cage. I put the eggs into the covered kitty litter box (that the hens had been using as a nest box) and then placed her in on top of the eggs. She settled right in. I covered the litter box with a towel and carried her to safety in the shed.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Love the idea of the covered litter box... her own private portable nesting box... very clever.