First time broody!

[amymarie1221]

Broody hen was sitting in the popular nesting box. I decided to let her hatch some. I moved her to the "safe spot" last night and put fake eggs under her to make sure she would still sit. I checked on her before work and she was pacing around. 4 hours later hubby sends me pic, she's still not on eggs. So my questions are:
1- do I leave her in there and see if she will eventually sit on the eggs?
2- let her sit on them in her favorite nesting box and just grab them after they hatch and move to the safe spot? I'm afraid they would fall out of the nesting box once hatched.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

I had the same problem. I ended up letting the broody brood in the popular nest box and move her just before hatch day. I found she was much more amenable to the moving at that point. The downside about keeping her in the popular box is that eggs are likely to get crushed and hens will continue adding new eggs. So be sure you mark the ones that you want hatched and put them all under the broody at the same time. Good luck!

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Oh, and btw - make sure you have a back-up plan if the chicks hatch and the broody doesn't accept them. I learned the hard way recently that not all mama hens like their chicks. :-(