HELP!! hens layed eggs outside of coop!

[willow06]

help! this is my first post here. i have a couple of backyard hens and one rooster. One of my hens has made a nest in the neighbours paddock in the middle of a flax bush! i am worried about her being exposed to weather and wondering if i should try and move her or leave her to it. have been taking food to her she's surrounded by quite high grass and the flax is semi-sheltering her.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ChickMomma]

Welcome to BYC!
Is your hen sitting on the eggs and trying to hatch them? If so I think I would try to move her to a secure area to keep her and the chicks safe from predators.
If she is just laying eggs there and you want her to lay them in the coop lock her inside the coop for a few days till she gets the hang of laying in the nest boxes. Or you could not let them out until she lays in the morning.
Susanne

 

[willow06]

Thanks yes she is sitting on them and has been for 3days so far. So will she still want to sit on the eggs if i move them with her?

 

[peepkeeper]

I would move her and the eggs for safety. Do it at night when she's groggy and won't get so upset, move her to her new safer location, then sneak the eggs under her. When she wakes up, she'll be in her new place and will think that she's been there all along.

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

 

[willow06]

ok i am just updating this to say that after consulting with local pet stores & vets we decided to leave the hen where she was. I live in New Zealand and predators aren't really an issue. she was sitting on 16 eggs and 13 very healthy and very cute lil chicks have just been moved into a coop so their dad cant get to them yet. but mum and bubs are all doing great.

 

[peepkeeper]

Hooray!! Post some pics!

 

[willow06]

Yay proud mama given her family some love!!!

 

[AtRendeAcres]

 

[peepkeeper]

Awww!!!!