Broody switched nest

[rkinley]

My broody has been sitting for a week and a day. Today she switched nests and as soon as I saw that, I put the eggs in front of her and she immediately tucked them under herself. Which is good.

I keep seeing ppl saying stuff like the hen switched nests and didn't "take the eggs with her". They don't have hands and their beaks can't pick up eggs. How on God's Green Earth do they take them to another nest??!

 

[50-45-1]

this is a common problem when you haVe your broody in the coop with the other hens.
She will sometimes be bullied out of her spot by more dominate hens.
Or she might leave her eggs to eaT and drink and come back and her spot has been taken by another hen laying a fresh egg. (This will lead to stagered hatch, not good)
I have seen hens roll eggs to there clutch over flat ground. Thats about the extent of there abilities to move eggs.

 

[rkinley]

I want to move her to our "broody area". Last year, we let her set until the day before hatch day and that worked out well the first time.

The second time (same year) I moved her "downstairs" to our separate broody area earlier but she didn't sit on the eggs. Instead she spent all her time at the door trying to get out. I didn't let her do that long before moving her back to where she wanted to be. Ultimately 3 of 12 eggs hatched but none lived for various reasons. I don't have any way to separate her other than moving downstairs. Also, I think you're right in that there are now 7 eggs and she started with 6. No idea when the 7th was laid. I marked most but not all the original eggs, darnit. I thought it would be ok cuz the others were laying eggs in the other nests up until today.