Moving a broody hens nest box??

[chickenwoods]

My brood leghorn is getting harased by other hens..another hen will get into the nest with her and they start fighting and a good egg got a crack in it now!! Ive been candeling and i can see them moving around in thar!i think they are at 2 weeks now. (btw will a cracked egg successfully hatch a chick)

I cleaned out the brooder house and im wanting to move her and her nest box into it.to keep the other hens out!! This wont make her loose intrest in her eggs will it???? i dont want to bother her intrest in hatching them because she is at around week 2 and i can see the chicks in the eggs!! im exited about the chicks!!

 

[reallemons1]

Be careful of moving her. Lots of times they won't be happy about that. With just one week to go it would be a shame for her to quit the nest. Is there any way to maybe cover her nest somehow to protect her from the other hens? As far as the cracked egg, as long as it is not leaking leave it with her. It still has a chance. I'd move her as soon as a few hatch to protect them from the other hens. Good luck!!

 

[austinhart123]

some hens will accept bieng moved and some wont. my broody would not settle for anything less so i had to make the other chickens go into the small coop so she could set in peace. if you try, do at night and check on her in the morning. trynot to disturb her just let her set and check on her throughout the day. if she seems angry and trying to get out, move the eggs back to the old nest and let her go back. try putting golf balls in the other boxes so the hens willset in the other boxes. i say try it out and see how it goes and about the cracked egg, as long as it did not open it should still be fine. Ive never had a leghorn go broody, you gotta post pics

 

[chickenwoods]

i moved her late last night,and she took it very well!! no fuss!! this morning i went to watch her and she was still setting. i put food and a one gal waterer in there with her.i put a handful of food in with her,and she still hasnt touched it. I am concered with her poor eating habits...i saw her get up at noon yesterday to dust and get a small bite of feed and water...she looks like she has lost alot of weight and real skiddish when not on nest,even though shes a leghorn,she is the sweetest bird i own.

 

[reallemons1]

Glad you were able to move her. She must be a good setter! Don't worry too much about her not eating well. While setting they do that. Just make sure food is availiable to her, she will eat when she needs to. For really good setters sometimes I have taken them off the nest to get them to eat. After the chicks hatch she will gain weight again.