hen setting

ncoutdoorsman

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This is my first time having a hen set on eggs. Do I need to move hen and eggs to an enclosed area by themselves. She just started setting today. When is the best time to move them if necessary. Any advice will be welcomed.
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! There are several nice articles on broody hens in the Learning Center you might like to check out https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-and-raising-chicks
You might want to give her a couple of days and make sure she is really sitting, and is on the nest at night also, some hens will sort of come and go for a day or two before they really commit to setting. If you can, leave her be and block off access to her nest by the other chickens is usually safest if you are not sure she will let herself be moved. If you are going to move her, do it at night and as quietly as possible, if you can move the whole nest box (where is she setting?) it is usually best to do that (or you can put the nest into a box or whatever where she is now and then move the box in a day or two). Some people just leave the hen with the flock having access, the main problem with doing that is if other hens continue to lay eggs in her nest, and cause problems when the chicks try to hatch. If other hens have access to her nest, be sure to mark her eggs so you know if there are any new ones laid in it.
 
Hi :welcome

Glad you could join the flock! Excellent advice and link there for you from Kelsie. I'm hoping for a broody hen this spring I think it would be great to see one of my hens raise some chicks for her self and have them raised naturally.

Wishing you and your hen the very best of luck, I hope you have some babies to enjoy.
Enjoy BYC :frow
 
400

Hello :frow and welcome to BYC!
 
The hen did not take to moving her and eggs. After about 3 days she ate or busted every egg. Tried same hen again recently but did not move hen or eggs. She set on eggs day and night for 1-2 weeks then abandoned the nest. Also have a male and female duck together in seperate pen from chickens. Female duck was sitting on eggs for 2 weeks. Now I am finding one or two eggs laying in middle of lot busted. You can see the duckling starting to form. What can I do to solve these problems. Thinking about starting completely over with all new hens and ducks.
 

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