Moving a broody hen

[Th55]

I’ve got a hen that lost a large batch of eggs and a few newborn chicks to a snake(s) several months back and now she is trying again but has taken a liking to a folding chair for the task. I eliminated two snakes and cut the field down around the coop and have not seen a snake since, so I think that’s no longer a big issue. My question is how to get her out of the chair and back in the box without disrupting her sit. The eggs we let her keep were laid the 22-24th. I’m afraid if they hatch they will fall out of the chair and the others will kill them.
I had though about making a nest in a small rabbit cage and transplanting them/her at night but not sure if that would make it worse, or should I just seen what happens?

 

[50-45-1]

So i am assuming this chair is in the coop?
Personally i always move my broody hens to a broody box where they are safe and undisturbed for the 3 week hatching period then 2 more weeks while chicks are small before i introduce them back to the flock.
Im not sure about the size of your coop, but could you set her up in the same spot she is right now? Remove the chair and put broody cage in same spot.
Moving after dark is best like you said.

 

[Th55]

I moved this chair into the coop after they started using it regularly, it was under a gazebo previously. Once they got consistent I moved the chair in the coop and kept them Locked in one day so they used the chair as usual. Since then they stick with it. Ultimately would like them to go back to the boxes but haven’t pushed the issue.

They free range all day so I was worried they might start laying somewhere I can’t find them.

I’ll build a broody cage and put it where the chair is this weekend and put her in it and see how it goes, guess if she’s stuck in the cage she’ll not have much to do until they hatch.

I was concerned she would freak out and abandon the eggs if disturbed too much or change was drastic.

BTW, The coop is a walk in 16'X16'

 

[aart]

That's a nice building!
Why are your birds not using the nests...got pics, please?
...and the 'laying chair'? never mind found pic of chair here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/4-youngsters-to-add-to-crew.1255798/

 

[Th55]

There are 3 wooden box nests built on the wall, one of which they used regularly until the snake incident. There are also 4-6 of those baskets hanging on the wall most of which have Nests from previous owners but only once did I find an egg in one.

 

[Th55]

So I built a smaller cage/pen (inside the coop) to put my broody hen in and moved her into it last night without too much fuss. This should eliminate the daily disturbing her since the others insist on laying new eggs in the chair with her. (She gladly takes them in)

I’ve reviewed the candling pictures here and what I compared there are 2-3 possibly bad(?) or further along?

As I transplanted the eggs to the cage and I candled them, 2 for sure are developing with veins as if they are 10-12 days old, 2 were so dark I couldn’t see anything at all and one was black dark but could see the air sack.

My questions:

Will she abandon the nest after the first couple hatch or stay with the nest until all hatch, if they started incubation days apart.
She is penned up now so I think she will stay with these but wondering for future reference.

Will a hen kick out any bad eggs if they aren’t developing or let them go bad?

 

[aart]

As I transplanted the eggs to the cage and I candled them, 2 for sure are developing with veins as if they are 10-12 days old, 2 were so dark I couldn’t see anything at all and one was black dark but could see the air sack.

My questions:

Will she abandon the nest after the first couple hatch or stay with the nest until all hatch, if they started incubation days apart.
She is penned up now so I think she will stay with these but wondering for future reference.

Will a hen kick out any bad eggs if they aren’t developing or let them go bad?

Do the 'dark ones' have dark brown shells...or are they green/blue.
Sometimes with those all you can see is the air cell.

She's more likely to move off nest with chicks after a day or two.
If chicks are confined from flock, and have food and water near the nest, she may stick tight to eggs as long as chicks can get back into nest to stay warm.

They may kick out bad ones...or let them explode underneath them.

 

[Th55]

They are brown but not dark brown. I was stumped as to why I was able to see two of them quite well and the other three nothin. But come to think on it I've get 3 very different hens and not sure which came from whom.

We let her keep those we thought were from our Plymouth Rock hen. Some reason I like those, seem to have friendlier personalities.

I built her a nest in a cut down milk crate where she is confined with water and chick starter food. Will double check to ensure the chicks can get back in the nest.

It will be interesting integrating her and chicks into growing herd.

 

[aart]

They are brown but not dark brown. I was stumped as to why I was able to see two of them quite well and the other three nothin. But come to think on it I've get 3 very different hens and not sure which came from whom.

We let her keep those we thought were from our Plymouth Rock hen. Some reason I like those, seem to have friendlier personalities.

I built her a nest in a cut down milk crate where she is confined with water and chick starter food. Will double check to ensure the chicks can get back in the nest.

It will be interesting integrating her and chicks into growing herd.

I know some of my browns and blues I can see into fine, others no way.

I usually let mama and chicks back in with flock after about a week or so.
Can flock still see broody? That can really help IMO.

 

[Th55]

Here is a pic of the nest boxes that were here when I got the place and pen built for broody. There were 7-8 of those crates mounted on the wall. Only one crate got used one time and that center wood box became THE spot to lay eggs. They exclusively used it until this one went broody and then the snake incident.
I currently have a couple fake eggs in the box and have seen them look in the box, even hop up there, only to go to the chair. Gonna move the chair next to boxes for couple days then remove it from coop to see if can get them back to using the box.

Plan to see how hatch goes in a few days and then lower the (broody pen) and put her a ramp so chicks can go back in there at night to be locked up.

I’m assuming she will stick with the hatch nest until the chicks can fly up to roost with others?