Lil Peep is missing

[shakin_the_trees]

I have a young laying hen that I am assuming is broody and missing. I have seen her for about 20 min 2 days in a row, comes and eats, and then she goes under thick brush into the back forest somewhere. I have tried following her to see where she is. But it is thick and full of blackberries. I am assuming she is sitting on a clutch somewhere. I am hoping they are fertilized from our rooster..but who knows. Im hoping ill see chicks in the future.
My question is... If I find the clutch, can I move it to a safe space and will she continue to sit on them? If I can find them I plan on candling them to see if there is anything developing. I just get so worried that a predator will find her and or her eggs.
If I dont find them and she emerges in 3 weeks with chicks, Im worried they will saunter into the coop when im at work and get attacked by the other chickens.
This is my first time with a rooster and broodiness now that my babies arent babies anymore!!!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

If you move the clutch, she will very likely abandon the eggs. But you can try. What I've done successfully, is to place hen and eggs in a nesting box. Any enclosed box or crate will work, small enough that if she wants to sit down, she must sit ON the eggs, but tall enough for her to stand. I place an empty milk crate against the front of her box, with food and water in it. She can get off the eggs to eat and drink, maybe poop, but then nowhere to sit but on those eggs. She complains for a bit, but after a day or two, she's fine and I can remove the crate. Happy hen sitting on her eggs.

If she successfully hatches chicks, and a predator doesn't find them first, she will likely bring her babies back to the flock. Don't worry about the other chickens; there is little more intimidating to other hens than a broody protecting her babies. They are fierce! The rooster won't bother them. More likely, he'll help her in the role of protector.

 

[Mrs. K]

If you can get to the point, where you know that not every egg will hatch, and not every hatchling lives, it helps, and it is a reality.

You trying to follow her, in a way is acting like a predator... and you can't find the eggs. I count that as a plus. You will push a path right into where she has the clutch and that can be used by a predator. I think I would leave her be, because I would not want to tip off a predator. If you leave her in the wild, do not candle the eggs. Just leave them be.

If you move the clutch, she will very likely ditch the clutch. Mine have always gone back to what they are pretty positive is the best spot, "thank you very much but not interested in a human viewpoint." If you move the clutch you need to lock her in on the eggs. Some people have luck with that.

As she is coming back and eating, drinking and stomping around the laying hens, this is good. Her hormones are high, she is stomping around, everyone is giving her a wide berth. She is crabby. When she brings the chicks in, they will still give her a wide berth, and her chicks will be fine without you interfering. Let her handle it.

If you get lucky, in a few weeks, she will bring in fluff balls. Mine have always brought them back, and that night create a nest on the floor in the coop. This is the only part I do, a couple of days before I expect them to hatch, I put clean bedding in the coop. Numerous times, I have tried to create the perfect spot...yeah, they turn up their nose to that too. Now I just put fresh hay, make sure there are chick waters in the run, and let them do it their way.

Mrs K