HELP! Neighbors Hen is sitting on about 15-20 eggs under a bush in MY FRONT YARD.

[Dawners]

I informed my neighbor, and put some food and water nearby for her, but is there anything that I need to do for her or for the chicks when they hatch? She is a good mama, and sits constantly. We had no idea she was there until I was raking up leaves AND BOY WAS SHE MAD. Will chicks be o.k. when they hatch with out being contained in a caged area? HELPA HELPA!

 

[Suzie]

I am amazed that your neighbour is prepared to leave the hen and her eggs under the bush in your garden - she should come and collect the hen and the eggs and find them somewhere safe on her own property to be safe from predators - I don't know what your weather is like but it is freezing here and in conditions like these it is sensible for them to be sheltered away from the elements.

You are a very caring person to be trying to help - maybe if your neighbour isn't interested you may have somewhere safe for the hen and her eggs to stay until she hatches them.

Suzie

 

[Silkie-lover33]

In less you really want chickens (and your they'll let you take them) give the hen and her eggs back to the neighbor where they belong. If you do want chickens take the hen in the house and put her in a tall box with food, water and a light. It takes 21 days for chicks to hatch. When and if they do make sure it's warm inside. At about a week you can take them outside for a while, weather permitting.

 

[Dawners]

We dont want to keep them, Cant we wait until they hatch and hope they will follow her home where she normally eats and lives? The neighbor said that she was around briefly each day to eat and then was gone again... LOL NOW HE KNOWS WHERE. We did not think we should move her, she is protected and looks like she is doing a great job on her own keeping the nest warm... I just want to make sure if we leave her alone that all will be o.k. - WHAT DO YOU THINK? NO hen or eggs coming in to my house, no way. Neighbor can have them all. Are you saying if she has babies in my yard, that they will stay in my yard and not go home to Momma house? OMG I hope not.

 

[Dawners]

Heck, I thought that hens could handle all on thier own.. Weather permitting? I am in so. ca. in the high desert. It still gets cold at night. But I DONT want to get involved with any "help from human" habits, she needs to be the CHIEF IN CHARGE... I will keep watching for chicks. When i see one, do I wait about 24 hours before moving any chicks and or unhatched eggs to neighbors house ?

 

[Dawners]

We never even saw her, until I was raking up leaves, SHE IS VERY SHELTERED AND HIDDEN DEEP IN BACK OF A QUITE LARGE BUSH... Predetors could get to her in the coop too, because it doesnt have a top on it... (thus, how she got out and in to my yard to begin with LOL) Neighbor is a good man, with a huge heart, and we dont mind having our guest, We just were wandering if we could do anything to assist her, WITHIN LIMITS...I am not building a coop or moving her inside my home... she has a big burm of leaves around her sitting area that we left alone. She should be o.k. right?

 

[centrarchid]

I informed my neighbor, and put some food and water nearby for her, but is there anything that I need to do for her or for the chicks when they hatch? She is a good mama, and sits constantly. We had no idea she was there until I was raking up leaves AND BOY WAS SHE MAD. Will chicks be o.k. when they hatch with out being contained in a caged area? HELPA HELPA!

Unless your intent is to get hen and brood killed, stop putting feed near her nest site!

 

[peepblessed]

I would suggest you ask your neighbor to move the hen and eggs after dark, to a safe pen. If she successfully hatches them there, she is likely to raise them there.

 

[centrarchid]

Moving hen and clutch prior to piping stage has high probability of breaking broodiness.

 

[geepy]

I had a hen with a nest in the neighbors yard. We knew nothing about it till on day I heard peeping. A couple days later the neighbor mowed the area where the nest was. The hen brought the chicks home as soon as they were hatched. You could try to move them but that don't work all the time. Don't put food buy her maybe just water. She'll go home for food. Keeping an eye on her is the only thing could do.