Broody Hens hiding nests.

[holly7]

I've had what I've suspected were broody hens for a week or two. I read that to try to break them continue to take them out of their nesting box. I have ten hens and two roosters.

I have at least 2 very broody hens. I kept getting them out of there boxes but they continue to brood. Now I have not been getting any eggs for 2+ weeks. Yesterday my dog happened to clue us in to a chicken sitting on a nest of what appears to be a lot of eggs. Unfortunately, we can't really see the whole nest or get to it. Help, what should we do. First time with broody hens.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

What do you need help with? Breaking the broodies? Or do you not want the one to hatch out the eggs?

 

[holly7]

Well I am just planning on letting this chicken hatch out what is there since she has been broody for weeks and I haven't been able to break her. Also I have no idea how long she has been under there.

I'd like to know how to break a broody chicken if this happens again but also what to do if they do hatch and I can't get to them to separate them so my roosters don't hurt them. I'm very new to this all.

Also if I let her hatch this nest will the other broody hens stop being broody. It almost seems as if they are sharing the nest. They have always had at least five laying boxes and always laid eggs in only one box. I'm not sure if that makes a difference. Thank you for any help!

 

[holly7]

I forgot to mention the nest they are sitting on is under our deck and barely visible.

 

[Days poultry]

Hi keep your hens in a spare cage for afew days this will break there broodines it helps me all the time

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Its quite late for this but in my experience the roosters tend to help raise them, or at the very least can be indifferent.