- Apr 22, 2009
- 5
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- 7
I have only had my chickens for about a year and I now have a broody Black Australorp. I didn't pay attention to her broodyness for the first couple of days so I'm not exactly sure when the chicks will hatch but I know it should be soon. I read on other posts that I should move her out of the nest and to another area where she wouldn't be bothered by the other hens as we only have two nests. When I tried to move her it was a total disaster. I put everything back in the original nest and she has been on it since, however, the other hens continue to climb in on top of her to lay and she is really getting picked on. I need some suggestions as to how to move her, my nests are permanent so I would have to lift every egg out into a new nest as well as the hen, where I should move her to, if I should set up a place in my garage for now or what. I am worried that moving her will disturb her too much especially if I move her to a totally different building. Also, the nests are raised off the ground and I am worried the chicks will try to climb out and fall. Another thing I don't know is what happens after the chicks hatch, does the mother hen still sit on them and raise them for a bit or what? How do I accomidate that? Another thing is that I don't know how many eggs were in the original clutch so what happens when the first few hatch but the others aren't as far developed does the hen sit until all the eggs hatch? So many questions, any advice would be so greatly appreciated!!