Broody Hens Driving me Crazy!

[jak2002003]

I have 4 hens that have gone broody and are sitting of eggs. But they keep swapping nests, and also sometime 2 will be on one nest, and the eggs are left uncovered in another one.

They can't seen to decide which nest belongs to them! What can I do? Its been nearly one week now. Usually I only get one or 2 hens go broody at a time and this has not happened before.

Also after a week of incubation, if some eggs get cool as the hen has been off them a hour or so, will they still hatch?

I don't understand about if the developing chicks will die if the eggs is not kept are the high temperature, or can they have periods of cooling off , then re heating?

The outside weather temperature is very hot (I live in Thailand), so they are not actually getting 'chilled', but they sometimes feel air temperature, rather than hot when I touch them (when I am putting the hen back of her nest).

Thanks .

 

[Y N dottes]

chicks might die if they get below normal hen body temp....though they can last a little while w/o a hen on them.

 

[mstricer]

Do you have a dog kennel you can put in your coop and put the broody hen in.

 

[jak2002003]

I have tried moving the nest at night with the hen and putting it into a dog crate. Leaving the other nest outside. The final nest is put in a large bird cage.

BUT 2 of the hens won't accept the next place and won't settle on the eggs!!!!!!

They are so frustrating. In the end I have put the nests back. I candled the eggs, and threw away some infertile ones.

Yesterday and so far today they have been going back to the correct nests. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this continues.

One hen will spend a lot of time off the nest (over 30 minutes) and I have to put her back on it. As soon as I place her back she will settle back down in seconds.

All the other times I had broody hens I never had any problems like this. I just left them to it. Now I keep having to pop outside and check on them - but today I have to go to work........so I will see what happens when I return home this evening.