Moving a broody hen?

[Niamh]

Good morning!
Im a little bit in a dilemma here. I have a first time broody hen that is sitting on her nest for about 6 days now. I got her some fertile eggs today to hopefully hatch.
But...
We have a bigger coop for our ladies that is about 4-6 days away of being finished.
What should I do with her? I want to keep her as stress free as possible!
Leave her in her nesting box until new coop is ready and add fertile eggs for now?
Thought about moving her into a dog kennel where she has more privacy and move her into our barn?
And when new coop is ready move her in there? Or move her when the babies hatch?
Any suggestions? What is the best thing to do?
TIA

 

[hannahsflock]

What I usually do is separate my hen as soon as she goes broody and I know she's serious about sitting. I put her in a safe place with food and water near to her nest. I always say that if you move her to the new location, and that breaks her broodiness, it wasn't meant to be as then she isn't serious enough about hatching and may have left half way through anyway.

Then I leave the hen with her chicks in the separated area until she starts to distance herself from her babies, and goes back to laying eggs. Then I know she can return to the rest of the flock.

Hope this makes sense. This is just what has worked for me in my experience over the years with broodies.

 

[Niamh]

Thank you for your response.
That is a good way of looking at it.
I will try your method and see how it goes
Thank you

 

[hannahsflock]

Thank you for your response.
That is a good way of looking at it.
I will try your method and see how it goes
Thank you

Pleasure, I hope things work out better for you in the future

 

[chickens really]

Your thoughts were dead on....Dog crate and in your barn is perfect....set her up with feed and water and once Chicks hatch out after a week or so put her back with the flock...She will not allow anything to happen to her Chicks when she is still protecting them....

 

[Niamh]

Your thoughts were dead on....Dog crate and in your barn is perfect....set her up with feed and water and once Chicks hatch out after a week or so put her back with the flock...She will not allow anything to happen to her Chicks when she is still protecting them....

Awesome Thank you
Everything is already set up. I am just waiting now for it to get darker.
*Crossing my fingers that she will accept them*

 

[chickens really]

I never wait till dark....i move her and make a nest with feed and water available and pop the eggs in and she always settles when left alone for about twenty minutes i wait and then go look..Hen always sitting on eggs....

 

[Niamh]

Pleasure, I hope things work out better for you in the future

I never wait till dark....i move her and make a nest with feed and water available and pop the eggs in and she always settles when left alone for about twenty minutes i wait and then go look..Hen always sitting on eggs....

Good to know. Next time I wont have to wait to mover her.
But it was successful!! She is sitting on the nest with 12 eggs
I'm very excited!
Thanks for all the advice!! It is very much appreciated!!

 

[hannahsflock]

So glad it's working out for you! Remember to post pics once the eggs have hatched

 

[Niamh]

I will do that