Broody hen

[alpacaroad]

After laying a dozen eggs she is now sitting on the eggs. Only problem she is sitting in our neighbors hedgerow. She has a stream nearby. Should I take food to her or let her fend for herself?

 

[red horse ranch]

I wouldn't put food around her. The smell will only draw in predators. She will come back home to eat where she always does. Probably once every day or two.
It's really not safe to leave her there especially since she is near a creek. You can try to move her but she will probably abandon the eggs. I have had limited luck putting her eggs in a dog carrier in the same spot and it can be closed at night. Sometimes it works but most times it doesn't.

 

[alpacaroad]

She came home at dinner time last night and then went back to her nest, so I guess she has no intent on abandoning her eggs. I plan on watching closely for her eggs to hatch (21 days???). I hope to be able to capture the keets and brood them in my workshop.

 

[R2elk]

She came home at dinner time last night and then went back to her nest, so I guess she has no intent on abandoning her eggs. I plan on watching closely for her eggs to hatch (21 days???). I hope to be able to capture the keets and brood them in my workshop.

Guinea eggs take 26 to 28 days to hatch.

 

[sashanellie]

I am in a similar situation. Our guineas have been laying eggs in a pile of old wood. They are free range in the day, and coop up at night with our chickens. Yesterday we noticed one of the mamas was on the nest for a long time. She stayed there all night last night!!! It's our first real broody hen experience.

Anyway, I was wondering how things are going for your hen in the brush? We looked at all the posts and decided to wait it out and see what happens. I was also wondering, for anyone with experience seeing a hen hatch her own keets - will she teach them to come to the coop? Will she stay in that same nest with them once hatched? What does the process look like once hatched?
thanks!
Sasha

 

[alpacaroad]

unfortunately she and all her eggs were eaten by a night time predator. I purchased 18 straight run guineas earlier in the spring.

I've got several females that I am sure of because of their vocalizations. Once they start laying -- in the coop I hope --I will be incubating their eggs.

 

[celste]

Hi, I have a hen that just laid 11 eggs and began sitting on them in a neighbor's barn. She has only been sitting on them 4 nights. We would like to move her and her eggs to our barn as she would be more secure from predators. Does anyone know if this is possible without her abandoning the nest? I appreciate any input.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi, I have a hen that just laid 11 eggs and began sitting on them in a neighbor's barn. She has only been sitting on them 4 nights. We would like to move her and her eggs to our barn as she would be more secure from predators. Does anyone know if this is possible without her abandoning the nest? I appreciate any input.

Its a risky move for sure! Some may continue to sit, other hens abandon the eggs so its a kind of "suck it and see" kind of situation! Personally, i would leave the hen to do her thing, but thats only my humble opinion.

Good luck!

 

[chickbird]

I would take her eggs and incubate them, in most instances something will get her and the eggs. shut her up in a pen with a male and let her start laying in a safe penned area, if it is not to late in the season for her to lay. My experience is that they are not good mothers, another option take the eggs and place them under a broody hen, i have some now that was hatched by a hen and she is a wonderful mother to them.