Move a broody at lock down?

[Miss Lydia]

Okay thanks looks like it's a vote to move after.

 

[gritsar]

I had to move my last broody hen a few days before she was due to hatch. She was not happy about it and kept trying to return to her old nest. I locked her in (dog crate) for about 24 hours and she was fine after that. She hatched her chicks in the new location and returned each each day to it with her chicks.

 

[Truffle]

I have a very similar situation...but with a questionable twist. One of my Brahma girls went broody while sitting on 8 eggs in a top nest box. I was extactic..since this is my first broody hen sitting! Well I have been checking her every day to make sure she was still on the eggs. 15 days into the period...probably when she was down getting a drink...another hen got in the box. When I went in to check, broody was in the box next to the one she had been in and the other hen had abandoned the 8 eggs...I felt the eggs and they were cold. I quickly put broody back in her nest and hoped it wasn't too late? So far so good as far as broody nesting in the right box. I just don't know how long the eggs were exposed? I also wondered if I should move her and eggs off the top box. After reading all your comments I think I will leave her where she is and hope for the best

 

[Judy]

Truffle, I have done the same thing you did several times and gotten chicks. I checked the chickens several times a day when I had a broody in with the others, though. Good luck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thats exactly what was happening when my hen first went broody, when she would leave to get water etc. another hen would get into her nest so she would get into the nest next to it, well the hen would leave and miss broodie would just stay in the other nest box, well after this went on for about a week I would go out put her back into the box with her egg at that time she only had one, I decidecd after about 7 days of doing this and the egg being warm then left to cool that it could be viable, so i finally took it from her brought it in and cracked it open. It was viable, so leave them alone most likely their okay. She was still sitting in the nest the next day so I stuck 3 eggs under her and so far she gets back into it if one of the other girls gets in when she goes out. I felt so bad I cracked open that egg. It was developing

 

[centrarchid]

I do not move hens while they incubate eggs as in my experience they are bonded to location, not eggs. You could modify nest site so bitties can not get out but hen can. Two days after chicks noted, release brood. Chicks falling from nest most likely to be lost to exposure. Large variations in hatching times (>36 hours) likely a result of another hen depositing more eggs after brooding cycle set by hen. Hen gains nothing by waiting around to rear those chicks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have been getting the eggs that have been laid by other hens in the nest. I marked the ones that my broodie laid and take the others. Thats a good idea about fixing the box so chicks can't fall out.

 

[kano]

First I've never let a broody to brood in the same coop than the rest. I separate her in the first days and seal her for a day inside the nestbox. Always was allrigth. Now, what I should do in your place is to wait until the day 20 (If you are not sure of the date, you have to go the last days (you have to have some idea) where she is and shake very gently the eggs near to your ear and if some are tweeting (sign that they are about to hatch) then you put something in the entrance of the box, to stop her to go out (or the chicks.) (a wooden board or something) The broodys, do not leave the nest until the day number 1 or two after the first chick is born. And then when all are born you can move her.

 

[pattgal]

Quote:
I don't know if I'm reading this right, so Ignore it if I'm wrong
If you are saying that other hens are laying in the same nestbox as your broody hen. it is not a good Idea. I just lost a whole hatch for that reason

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I don't know if I'm reading this right, so Ignore it if I'm wrong
If you are saying that other hens are laying in the same nestbox as your broody hen. it is not a good Idea. I just lost a whole hatch for that reason

Sometimes it's another hen laying in the broody nest, and sometimes it's the broody stealing from other nests. They will tuck the egg under their "chin" and carry it if they can't roll it. When my broodies hatched in the coop with the flock, I had to remove someone else's egg almost daily.