Hen Sitting on Eggs in Bad Spot

[3speckled3]

So my hen decided to lay her eggs and sit in a horrible spot instead of the nesting boxes. We have this long storage table on our back porch, and she tucked herself away in the dark, dirty corner behind a chainsaw (it's in a case). This table is pretty high up, and we have a dog out there. He doesn't mind chickens, but I don't know how he'd react around chicks.

What I'm wondering is if there's a way to move the eggs safely. I know some hens will abandon the nest if the eggs get touched, and I don't want that. If there isn't a way, we might put a fence around the table and relocate the chicks once they hatch. Would that be a good idea?

I cleaned up around her the best I could without disrupting her after the picture was taken.

 

[Ms Clucky]

Wear a glove and put some of her nest material in it. Then put the rest of her nest material in a bowl and put eggs in there the same way you pick them up. Then move them into a nest the same way. Maybe your smell will be masked enough. Hope this helps.

 

[aart]

What I'm wondering is if there's a way to move the eggs safely. I know some hens will abandon the nest if the eggs get touched, and I don't want that. If there isn't a way, we might put a fence around the table and relocate the chicks once they hatch. Would that be a good idea?

How long has she been setting?
I try to move the broody to a safe place before I give her fertile eggs.
Do you have a place set up where she'd be safe, preferably near the flock but separated by wire with enough feed, water, and walking around room?

It's not about touching the nest it's about moving her location, they don't like that.
Why would you relocate the chicks after hatch?
Moving the chicks and mama after hatch could work.
Still need that 'safe place' I mentioned above.

Maybe your smell will be masked enough.

Smell has nothing to do with it...it's all about location, location, location.

 

[3speckled3]

How long has she been setting?
I try to move the broody to a safe place before I give her fertile eggs.
Do you have a place set up where she'd be safe, preferably near the flock but separated by wire with enough feed, water, and walking around room?

It's not about touching the nest it's about moving her location, they don't like that.
Why would you relocate the chicks after hatch?
Moving the chicks and mama after hatch could work.
Still need that 'safe place' I mentioned above.



Smell has nothing to do with it...it's all about location, location, location.

She's been sitting for about two days, at least I assume that. I couldn't find her the day before yesterday, and I looked everywhere. Tucked behind a bunch of stuff in the corner of a porch is not where I expected her to be as she never really went back there in the first place.

We have a coop/pen where the nesting boxes are located. It is big enough to run around, but not too oversized. That is where she was hatched and raised until she was old enough. In fact, that is the place all of our hens have sat, so it is where I expected her to sit. That way I could close the entrance so nothing could get to her or the eggs.

By the way, when I said relocating the chicks, I meant both them and the mother. Sorry if it was confusing.

 

[aart]

Might try moving her back into the coop and close it up so she can't get back to the place she was sitting. She may break or settle back into a nest. Or build something around where she's nested now...tough call, Best of cLuck.