Found a broody chicken. Help pls.

[klb25]

I found a chicken on our land today. She is under a bush laying on a bunch of eggs. I don't know who she belongs to but I am tempted to go secure her. We have a lot of predators here and she could easily be tonight's meal for a raccoon or opossum. We're also supposed to get 5-6 inches of rain the next few days and she is fully exposed. I feel kind of guilty because she isn't mine but I just want to keep her safe.

Any advice?

Added info: I have a large dog kennel I could use to secure her in my chicken run.

 

[Skyle]

My advice is to not put her in/near your coop since you don't know who her belongs, she may carry a disease to your flock even if she looks healthy (birds need to be quarantined if you don't want to risk your flock's health)
You could try to move her with her eggs and put her in the dog crate (is there a place not near where your flock roams where you could put her?) She might break her broodiness though.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Definitely quarantine her, but with proper measures you should be able to move her into a prepared crate and her eggs. I would do it while she sleeps in the dark. Be prepared to treat her for lice and what not.

 

[klb25]

My advice is to not put her in/near your coop since you don't know who her belongs, she may carry a disease to your flock even if she looks healthy (birds need to be quarantined if you don't want to risk your flock's health)
You could try to move her with her eggs and put her in the dog crate (is there a place not near where your flock roams where you could put her?) She might break her broodiness though.

Yes I can put her in a safe spot to quarantine.

Thank you!

 

[klb25]

Definitely quarantine her, but with proper measures you should be able to move her into a prepared crate and her eggs. I would do it while she sleeps in the dark. Be prepared to treat her for lice and what not.

Excellent advice, thank you! I've never had a broody chicken, let alone wandered across one, do I appreciate the help!

 

[3KillerBs]

If you successfully contain her, you should post flyers or something to let people know you've found her. There may be a distraught owner out there looking for a bird that vanished and assuming that a predator got her.

 

[klb25]

If you successfully contain her, you should post flyers or something to let people know you've found her. There may be a distraught owner out there looking for a bird that vanished and assuming that a predator got her.

I will definitely ask everyone. We're rural, not even a supermarket around, so I've already messaged one neighbor and will go visit the other two possibilities. I'm leaning toward her belonging to a family who only lives here part-time. They leave their tiny dogs outside and have lost several animals to cars and predators.