Hen laying on nest in tall grass... temps to drop below freezing tonight, what should i do?

[Sarybelle]

I have a young hen that went broody and is now sitting on a nest in the tall grass of my ditch. I thought she was dead, but she showed up to eat and now temps are supposed to drop below freezing, should I move her? Or will she be ok? I've never had broody hen before and dont want her to get hurt.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

You can try to move her but sometimes they will stop setting if you do.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Having a broody in the wild is really likely that the broody will die sitting on that nest. It's best to move her even if it messes up her brood.

 

[Sarybelle]

Having a broody in the wild is really likely that the broody will die sitting on that nest. It's best to move her even if it messes up

 

[Sarybelle]

She's been out there for at least 2 weeks. Yes there is a risk, but I'm more worried about the 25 degree low for tonight. Is it too cold for her to be out there by herself? Or is she insulated enough in the grass?

 

[Cebarmlds]

I would think she and the eggs will be ok with the cold, but I'd be more worried about predators. I would, (not saying you should) get a box with straw or grasses and carefully put her and the eggs in it, maybe someone to help you? and then put her in the coop, in a nest or just set the box on the floor. JMO

 

[Sarybelle]

I would think she and the eggs will be ok with the cold, but I'd be more worried about predators. I would, (not saying you should) get a box with straw or grasses and carefully put her and the eggs in it, maybe someone to help you? and then put her in the coop, in a nest or just set the box on the floor. JMO

I've been contemplating that all week to be honest. But haven't done it because I dont have a really good place to put them. So I've kinda just hoped for the best up to this point. I can't do that any more, Its stressing me out.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I've been contemplating that all week to be honest. But haven't done it because I dont have a really good place to put them. So I've kinda just hoped for the best up to this point. I can't do that any more, Its stressing me out.

She can keep the eggs warm, so temperature is not a real issue if she's a good broody, but vulnerability to predators definitely is.

Do you have a protected run, or just a coop? If you have a protected run, the advice to softly shift her nest, eggs, and herself into a crate to move her to a safer place is good. If the box is around the same size as her nest, you wouldn't even have to move her to a new (-to-her) location. Just get some sort of spot open, and move the box there.

If you have a run (= protected from predators, but otherwise out of doors), how big is it, length by width? By far your best option is to move her nesting site (along with her and any eggs) to a more protected spot, with minimal disruption to the nest itself.