Help? A Broody Hen & New Chicken Keepers

[Enchanted1s]

Hi All - you may have seen some of our other posts? We acquired this hen when she flew into our yard - not quite a year ago. She was just a baby then. Since then, two other young ones flew over and a rooster was thrown over. Once we realized that Tootie (the first one) was staying, we built them a coop and started caring for them - but we could not pet our new pets, so I ordered 3 babies. This month we have been finishing a second coop for the babies and integrating them with the others. All has been going well. The babies have been free to roam with the others (unsupervised) for about a week now. The babies are 12 weeks old today. All week, we noticed that the babies have been staying in the old coop (where the hens lay their eggs) most of the time. The three laying hens nor the rooster seem to mind. Today - Tootie did not get out of the nest box all day. The babies laid right near her most of the day. But when bed time came - Tootie did not get out of the nest box!

We gather the eggs every day. We have two that just started laying so there is a wooden egg in each box, but Tootie must have only had her one egg and one wooden one. When she did not go to bed, we realized she must be broody. I gave her the four additional eggs from today and yesterday. She pecked at me when I tried to put them under her. I laid them next to her and covered the front of the box - hoping she would be warmer. We will see in the morning if she put the other eggs under her - or not. I know we need to get the wooden egg out, but how can we move her???

She is in everyone's favorite box. But - it is not on the ground and not in a safe place for baby chicks. We are almost finished with the new coop, which would be much better suited for baby chicks. If we move the nest when she goes to eat, will she come find it and return to sitting? We were not really prepared for this. The new coop/run (not quite done) is much more secure and has hardware cloth. The babies sleep there now, and the older ones sleep in the old coop. OR - should we just leave her alone and deal with moving them when/if they hatch?

 

[ChickNanny13]

I would leave her, moving the nest may she may desert it BUT I'm no expert on hens with eggs. Maybe if you moved nest & her at NIGHT when it's DARK! The more experienced will be peeping in so don't listen to me

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

If you are trying to hatch peeps, don't relocate her as that may disrupt her schedule.
I do not think a wooden egg will do any harm if she broods it...
just won't hatch with it's siblings of course lol.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

The ONLY reliable way to move a sitting hen is to move HER, HER NEST, HER NEST BOX and HER EGGS lock, stock, and barrel to the new location in the dead of night. Sometimes even that won't work. Hens imprint on their nest and its location so it is a hens' nature to return to her nest no matter what. If this were not so then all the chickens on Earth would have died off when the dinosaurs did.

 

[Folly's place]

If possible, fence her in right where she is, with room for her food and water.
I've moved broody hens with their eggs successfully many times, but not always. Give her a few days on her nest first. Mark her eggs with a magic marker, so new eggs that are days younger than her originals are removed.
Set up a safe spot for her; A big dog airline crate is good, with bedding, food, and a waterer. In the dark, with a small flashlight (minimal lighting!) move nest, eggs, and mama hen into the new location. Lock it up and creep away.
The next morning leave her inside, and hope for the best. If she totally abandons the nest it will be obvious by the next day or two.
It's best to have her in the coop in her cage, not in a totally new location.
Mary

 

[andreanar]

I do remember your story haha. I wish someone would throw me chickens! You've been given good advice above so Ill just wish you good luck.

 

[Enchanted1s]

Well - she is definitely broody. This morning, the 4 eggs that I gave her last night are tucked nicely under her. At least I assume they are - I could not see any eggs when I peaked in on her this morning. Now I have more questions.

Hmmm - the nest box she is in (everyone's favorite) is attached - it's part of the wall - so moving her nest and all is not an easy option. It is about 15 to 18 inches above the ground. There is a board so they don't kick out the eggs.

So - for last night I put a heavy piece of material over the front of the box. This morning, I lifted it so she would know it was daylight. Should I put that back down? Or would she rather be able to see what is going on around her? Yesterday, the babies were in the run with her most of the day - is that OK? She didn't seem to care. How close should the feed / water be to her? I don't see a way to locate it so she doesn't have to get out of the box?? She is inside their run, but it is not built for babies and not really predator proof. I had hoped to rebuild it this spring - after finishing the babies. I can't really rebuild that side with her in the nest box. If she had chosen the other box - it would be easy to move... I used red plastic crates for their nest boxes in this coop. It is hard to get pictures inside the structure. I do worry about her being out there at night, all alone with her eggs. At the time I built their coop - I used what I had, and I didn't have hardware cloth - I had Goat fence.

BTW - another of the neighbors chickens flew over last week. He was saying, keep it - keep it. I said NO, we have enough! I caught her and handed her back over the fence! It was one of Rosie & Tina's litter mates.

 

[andreanar]

Is there any way you can put something around her and the nest to protect them? The food and water will be fine, she should get off the nest at least once a day to eat, drink and poop the nastiest poops ever! You can leave the material off, so she can look around, and it's ok for other chickens to be around her, she prob won't let any other chicken in that nest, she'll go velocirapture on them haha.

I laugh so hard when I picture neighbors tossing chickens back and forth over the fence.

 

[Enchanted1s]

SO - today I went out to see what I could do for Tootie and our new situation. I'm not sure if she was upset because I was spending too much time in there, or making too much noise? But, she got off her eggs and went outside. I thought it was just her short break, but she didn't go back! I'm not sure how long she left the nest, but I would guess a couple of hours. Just about the time I decided she had abandoned the clutch - she returned and resumed laying on her (now marked) 5 eggs. Just before sunset, she got up again and went out with the others for some time, but returned to the nest again and insisted on sleeping there again.

--> Is this normal? Are the eggs still viable with her leaving them like that? <--

I want to do a little more to try to keep her safe, but I can't do that AND not disturb her. Their coop/run/structure - whatever I am supposed to call it - is completely enclosed and covered, but like I said - not what I would consider secure or predator safe. I put that structure together in a couple of days - between storms - knee deep in muck. I didn't have hardware cloth then. I did put chicken wire on top of the goat fence at the bottom of the structure.

The babies still spent most of their day right in front of Tootie's nest box. I even saw them go up the ladder and check out their coop. I am pretty sure two of the babies wanted to stay with the big birds tonight, but the big birds wouldn't go inside until I got the babies out.

--> Also, I put food and water inside the structure - right outside her nest box. She did not eat or drink there - she came outside to where their food and water is (in the sun). Should I continue to offer it?

Thanks Again for all the input.

 

[MattCopeland]

Leave this hen and her eggs alone!! Lol. If you want her to hatch them quit bothering her or she will abandon the nest. She will be fine. You are worrying too much. She knows just what her and the chicks need