Moving a setting hen?

[holmes0927]

Thank you, I will definitely be up early to watch and make sure all goes smoothly when she wakes up to babies! I'll post how it goes!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I have eggs in the incubator due to hatch in 3 days..and one of my hens went broody last weekend. So it will be about a week of her being broody, is that too soon to try to sneak some chicks under her? Do chickens know or care that they havent been setting long enough? Thanks for any feedback!

They cant tell time and they really dont count the days......but they can turn against new chicks even if done right. So that being said go for it. Make sure they are no more then a day old and putting them under her at night is a good idea. That way she wakes up and has peepers. If she is broody she should take to the chicks and take over for you. Just make sure that you have a brooder ready incase there is need. It doesnt hurt to be prepared to jump in and rescue them if needed. But more then likely she wont have any issues.

I agree, they can't tell days. I'd slip chicks under her at your own convenience, at night like lindsay297 suggested. We've only done this once ... slipped 5 store-bought chicks in with some fresh hatchlings ... and all went well.

I wonder how long a broody hen would stay broody if she never got to hatch chicks and you never did anything to break her.

 

[LAChickens]

The fun never ends. I'm still hatching out the chicks from yesterday's emergency move (9 so far out of 13 with the one preventible loss), so I had to laugh when I went into my front pen this morning to empty the trash...Look what I found! A Bantam Nankin has made a nest in the garbage box! She's setting a dozen eggs. Both of my current brooding boxes are already full (this is a first), so I will need to find a place to move her. Being in a chain link enclosure, on the ground, in an open box, and a tiny bird - she's in danger of attack by rodents or snakes so I will need to move her and the nest. This is becoming a trend this spring...

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Awwwwwwww!

 

[drlcb]

Did she lay the brood?
That is awesome!

 

[LAChickens]

Yes, she laid the brood...she's been busy while I was distracted elsewhere.

 

[farmgirl4589]

I always move my setting hens with no problem. When they are setting, they are setting! I move the entire nest box into a brooding pen that allows the chicken to get out if she wants to and allows the babies to live there with her after they hatch. I wouldn't try moving the hen and eggs without the box. That might not go as well.

 

[Cass]

Sigh. (Opps, wrong thread)

 

[Iluvmallards]

...

If I understand you correctly you are adding the chicks and momma from a group that has already been in the coop together, yes??  If that is the way of it then you shouldnt have any issues.  Mommas will take care of their chicks and protect them from others.  I would do it sooner then later.  Once Momma starts to cut the apron strings the chicks will be on their own and if momma hasnt set them up in the pecking order, you have issues.  Some moms will do this as soon as 3 weeks old.  If moving them into the coop with others I would do it as soon after hatch as possible.  You can always fence of a small area on the floor with chicken wire or babygates so that they arent out right attacked. 

Good luck and let us know how it works out!!
The mamma's were in the coop to begin with but when they went broody the older hens would run them off their nests (the FAVORITE nests) I moved them both to the broody pen just outside the coop, they all free range all day together, but the mamma' s take the chicks back to the brooding pen for the night, and I wanted to move them back to the coop bc I have only 1 brooding pen, and 3 of my older hens have been broody and trying to set for about two weeks and I just hatched 25 polish tolbunts in the incubator so I thought I would put the 3 in the brooding pen and and put the incubator chicks under them at night

 

[Lawrence62]

About a week ago, I had the same problem. One broody buff brama hen amongst 4 others. I could tell they were fighting over the nest box - lots of feathers. I moved the hen and 6 eggs into another small coop and she took to the new nest just fine. She actually looks happy, not having to fight off the others.