Move a broody at lock down?

[Miss Lydia]

I have a Brahma hen thats gone broody in an upper nest box. When the chicks hatch they will have to jump to get to the floor of the coop which has a good layer of shaving on it, but They won't be able to get back into the box with mama when she brings them back inside, I hope to move her when she goes into lock down but not sure when that will be, is it 2 or 3 day before hatch date? I think if I move her then she will stay with the eggs and not go back to the upper nest, anyone ever done this and can give some tips?Or should I wait till they hatch then move her?

 

[ralleia]

Quote:
If she manages to hatch any out, once they dry off you will need to move them to the floor--if they don't fall out, and assuming it's decently warm, and there aren't any other hens that are hostile. Usually the hatched out chicks would huddle in a corner of the coop. At that point, the hen starts to feel torn between sitting on the eggs and tending to the chicks.

Within about a day (or less) she abandons the eggs and goes to take care of the chicks. Sometimes I try to move eggs over to her then, with mixed results.

Once she has bonded to her chicks she will NOT return to the high nest box, because they cannot follow her. She will nest with her chicks in a corner of the coop.

Regarding whether to attempt to move the hen now or not is a hard call. I hear it is difficult to successfully move a broody hen and get her to stay with her eggs, which is why I plan to make dedicated, oversized nest boxes in which to confine broodies.

 

[Judy]

I've moved them a couple of times when they hatched. Never had a problem with her trying to go back to the unhatched ones, but I've only done this a few times, not much experience to talk from. I did once have a broody freak out and abandon the eggs when I tried to move them while she was setting -- not going to try that again. My first broody hatched hers in a nest too high for the chicks to get up to. No problem, mama just covered them wherever they settled, in the coop at night, out foraging during the day in cold weather -- when they would let her. Several times I've seen a broody squat down and chirp at chicks during the day, I assume calling them to get under her for warmth, and they have ignored her and gone on with their chicken lives. They never ignored her when she called them to food, though!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thats why I want to try to move her when she goes into the last couple of days of sitting because they don't leave the nest then. I really don't want to wait till they hatch and take the chance of them falling out or one of the other hens hurting them, I know if I move her now she will just go back to her original nest box. I was just hoping someone might have done this before and could give me some directions on how to approach this. My other broodie is in a nest box thats at floor level. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay so I should just wait till they hatch and then move them? she is only sitting on 3 eggs and first time mama also. I know about moving them now I tried it last week and she just went right back to the upper nest box so that didn't work out. at least she didn't abandon them, We found a hen sitting on 10 eggs under a bush along our driveway last summer, well we couldn't leave her there she would have been killed in a heart beat, so I bundled her and her eggs up and took her into the coop put them into a nest and she jumped down and walked away like hey those aren't mine. So thats why I am a little nervous.

 

[Judy]

I imagine it will all work out fine. Remember that hens used to sit on eggs in hay lofts, and after a day or two when they got hungry they would fly/jump/fall several feet to get to the barn floor. Usually the mama keeps the babies under her for about a day, which is hopefully when they other eggs hatch. I'm sure the bunch can get down without harm when they're ready. Obviously some hay or something where they will land would be a good idea!

I have moved the whole lot twice WHILE they were hatching. Never lost one and it worked fine -- but I'm not silly enough to recommend this. I think mama wouldn't leave those wiggly things underneath her, is why it worked. Yes, I'd wait til the hatch is done. Actually I'd wait til they came out of the nest on their own. Well, I should, but I get impatient....

Sorry you lost the 10 eggs. I once left one who had begun setting in a terrible place when I found her. I was afraid she would abandon the eggs if I moved her. Wish I had moved her anyway, because I lost her AND the eggs doing this. Won't make that mistake again, either.

Best of luck!

 

[ralleia]

Quote:
I wouldn't move them in the last couple days. It would be a shame for her to successfully incubate for 18 days and then kill the chicks because she abandons the eggs near the end. Either risk moving now, or wait until after the hatch.

I would wait for them to hatch. I've had chicks fall out of the upper nest boxes before (two to three feet high) and they've been just fine.

 

[pattgal]

when is the best time to move the hen If your are gonna do it? Even If I make a broody pen, I will have to move them
My first hen to go broody got moved left and right, wherever the eggs were she went. my second one (the one I am dealing with now) is on the upper nestbox as well. iv'e tried to move her unsuccessfully.
It came to the point where It was easier to move the whole flock to my summer coop.
I'll build them a ramp as wide as the box so at least they won't drop to their death. but this hen is so finicky, If I take the ramp down I'm worried she will abandon the chicks

 

[Miss Lydia]

yep patience is something I'm gonna need.

 

[worthy vessel]

This happened to me in November... I waited, hard to do, and moved them all after they hatched out... it was fine.