Free range brooders

[PhoenixAngel429]

One of my free range hens is brooding in some weeds with 10 eggs outside. Anyone else brood and free range?

 

[f8thnjc]

I would think she is "sitting duck" for predators. I don't know much about it though.

 

[secuono]

I would move her, the nest and eggs to a nest in the coop instead of leaving her out in the woods for a million different predators to find.

 

[PhoenixAngel429]

Quote:
We actually have few preadators in our area now, only chicken hawks once in awhile and dogs, but those were taken care of.

 

[stonykill]

I had one do that last year. I felt really good about her nest. Really well hidden. Around day 14 her eggs got eaten. She was ok, but missing so many feathers it looked like she molted overnight.
I had one of my free range Sumatra's go broody today. In a shed. I tried moving her to a dog crate and she rejected it and attacked me in the face. So I moved the eggs back to her nest, and at dark locked her in the shed.
It's all a gamble. So I'm told. I'm new to broody hens. But I'm thankful my 1st broody one this year went broody in a nest in the shed. Uggg, only 9 more Sumatra hens to worry about going broody in the open.

In the end, it's all with what you feel safe with.

 

[PhoenixAngel429]

Quote:
Last year we had 3 free rangers brood but they were game so I wasn't too worried. One of the game hens flogged me when I was trying to help a tangled chick.

This one is a Wyandotte so I don't know how well she will fare against preadators

 

[hippiehen]

My duck is brooding in some grass right now, but we've built fort knox around her - covered wire fence surrounded by a hot wire fence and my pyrador on patrol! She's got until the 11th to hatch

 

[buckaroo's wife]

One of my free rangers went broody, and I ended up moving here. We are rural, but have skunks, coons, possums, dogs, etc. etc. She was well hidden but I still didn't want to risk it. She's now in the barn in a dog house, sitting on those eggs. Best of luck!