So my Isa has 9 eggs under her so she must of been brooding for a while. How long would you guess she has? Also, her nest is right next to the main road. We tried moving her but she ckeeps running back to that spot, so we returned the eggs until we find a way to move her without a fuss. Any suggestions? and how long do they take to hatch? Any info will help thanks
About 21 days. It's likely they have been under her a varying number of days, though,. Probably a day or so after the first few hatch, she will abandon the rest to raise the chicks. They are very hard to move once they start setting, as you found. About the only way it will work is if you have a pen with just enough room for her nest, food, water, and a little space to walk around in, and then it will stress her. I like to separate y broody, then place selected eggs under her all at once, then turn her loose with the flock when she leaves the nest to raise the chicks. Here is some good reading on broodies and raising chicks: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/840130/new-chicks-in-with-the-chickens/0_20#post_12410443 (especially Ridgerunner's post) http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/broody-hens-1.html
